The Key of Asgard—an artifact created to unseal the divine realm from Excalibur's might. Formed by the Witch of Destruction, Grimhild Yorgana, who used it to temporarily access Asgard for the sake of building Obsidia.
She lost it long ago, presumably taken by the God of Lies, Loki himself,
When Asgard was sealed, Yggdrasil was sure to fall as the laws of the Elohim were contained within the divine realm and were unable to break free from the seal.
But that's where the Key came along.
It opened a miniature tear in Excalibur's seal, allowing the laws of the Elohim to maintain order across Yggdrasil and its division, and with it opened, Grimhild could use those laws to build the perfect Golem; Obsidia.
However, if someone managed access its full power and take it to the Bifrost, they could permanently shatter the seal and release the corrupted gods out into the world to bring the apocalypse once again.
Grimhild was unsure if that was Loki's plan, but she couldn't take any risks.
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Jean and Ebony moved in perfect sync with his daggers carving arcs of mana while her galaxy fists shattered reality itself.
The Dragon broke free from its two-dimensional state with willpower alone and continued the fight.
Every blow they landed distorted the air, and every impact thundered like collapsing stars, but the dragon refused to yield.
Grimhild, however, did not move to assist.
Her attention was fixed squarely on the Frost Giant, who had risen to one knee with her chest heaving from exhaustion.
"The Key of Asgard." Grimhild said with a low voice that was almost drowned beneath the roar of the beast. "I made it long ago, but I lost it. And now I find it in your hands while you're branded with his serpent's mark. Tell me, giant, are you Loki's pawn, or his partner?"
The giant's icy-blue eyes narrowed and locked on Grimhild with a fierceness that could have frozen fire.
"I am no one's pawn. Least of all the Trickster!"
Even with her reply, Grimhild still seemed suspicious.
"And yet his curse is etched into your flesh. You expect me to believe you bear the Key by coincidence?"
The Frost Giant clenched her fist as steam curled from her lips, now deepening her voice from anger.
"I carry this curse because I defied him, and went against his word back in Jotunheim; that's where he lives now. Loki wanted to use the Key for himself, but I took it before he could twist it to his games. I'm managing to resist the fate of the curse, but I cannot last forever."
"Mm." Grimhild looked at the giant in thought. "Those with immense willpower can overcome the fate of the gods to a degree, but Loki is much different, and yet you're telling me you can resist the fate of his curse?"
The Frost Giant frowned at the witch.
"That is exactly what I mean."
Behind them, the dragon's maw exploded with blue fire as its flames split apart, chasing after Ebony.
Jean surrounded himself with Gilfronta and darted through the intense flames, slashing deep into its wing joints with a shout.
"Haaaah!"
Grimhild, though, remained unflinching at the battle.
"You claim defiance, yet carrying the Key alone places the realms in peril. Do you even understand its purpose?"
The Frost Giant's jaw tightened as she averted her gaze.
"I know it can open what the sword of man has sealed. The gods are caged, but cages never hold forever. Sooner or later, someone will tear them open, and I cannot allow that. That's why I journey with this key."
Grimhild's grip tightened on her staff.
"Holding it only paints a target on Midgard. He will not relent, and neither will his agents. That dragon is not merely a beast, it was likely sent with the purpose of destroying you and returning the Key."
The giant's gaze turned to Jean and Ebony battling in the distance while her features softened for the briefest of moments before hardening again.
"Then let him come. If Loki wants the Key, he will find me ready! I will not let him tear Asgard open!"
"Brave words... but pride alone won't shield Yggdrasil from ruin. The Key was meant to preserve balance, not ignite war."
Grimhild sighed.
"If Loki truly seeks to breach open Asgard with it, then all mortal realms will drown in the madness of corrupted gods. You cannot stand alone against that."
The Frost Giant lowered her head.
"Then why confront me? If you created this Key, then take it back if what you say is true!"
"First, tell me, how did you come across it?"
"I…" She turned to the side, wanting to bite her tongue. "Stole it from Loki himself. It's actually a long story."
Grimhild lifted her brow.
"Explain."
The Frost Giant nodded.
"I'm unsure how long ago it was; maybe a few days or so, there was a battle. The Queen of Death, Hel, was broken free from her seal, and Loki was caught off guard. During that time, I was nothing more than his palm doing his bidding." She averted her gaze, ashamed. "I served him every day, but then I saw the chance to rebel. Loki left his makeshift kingdom in Jotunheim, making his way to Midgard to see why Hel was unsealed. That's when I took the chance to take the Key of Asgard, guarded by Fenrir."
Expressionless as always, Grimhild finally showed signs of awe.
"You took the Key of Asgard from Fenrir?"
The Frost Giant nodded their head.
"Mmm. It was no easy task, but I managed to escape, since fighting with Fenrir is nothing more than a death wish."
"I see." Grimhild turned her attention to Jean and Ebony. "Then come with us, Giant, allow us to assist you on our journey."
The Frost Giant widened their eyes.
"Oh! A-Are you certain?" She asked.
"Of course I am, why else would I say it? You have an important artifact, and the will to rebel against my old friend who has lost his way. Allow me to assist you after our journey to Mesnil."
The Frost Giant smirked before bowing their head.
"Then I shall offer you my name in return. I am Estrilda Leegran, daughter of the Leegran family in Jotunheim. We are a group of mercenaries who hunt across the other realms of Yggdrasil in return for valuable items."
The valley trembled as another blast of dragonfire split the open sky, turning snow into boiling mist.
Jean and Ebony were locked in furious combat while the Ayleon shifted in and out of dimensional phases to dodge incoming flames as his Champion's fists bent space itself into impossible angles.
Grimhild, meanwhile, lowered her staff as her single eye lingered on the Frost Giant.
"Estrilda, daughter of mercenaries, and now bearer of the greatest danger to the Mortal Realms. Quite the legacy you carve already."
Estrilda smirked, though her expression remained hardened by pride.
"I suppose so."
Jean's voice cut in over the clash of battle.
"Uh, Grimhild, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm kinda busy keeping this dragon from cooking the whole valley! It's shrugging off all of our attacks!"
Ebony struck again as her body split into three overlapping clones that punched the dragon from different directions at once.
The beast roared with a voice so loud it shook the mountains, as its body flared with an inferno that threatened to undo them both.
Grimhild grinned at both Jean and Ebony.
"It's an elder dragon, they're creatures who naturally grow stronger and more durable with age."
Jean flew to gain distance as Ebony followed suit. "Then what should we do?" He asked, turning to face the witch.
"Wear it out, that's your only choice. It will eventually tire, and that's when you strike, but right now, it has innumerable magical defenses to guard against your attacks. Each one is more resilient than the other."
"No way!" Shouted Jean. "A little help please!"
Grimhild smirked almost sadistically, but then she gave a silent sigh.
"Very well, I'll handle it."
Grimhild took a few steps forward, gaining the dragon's attention almost immediately from the release of her aura.
It flapped its wings in the sky with anger brewing in its eyes.
"ROoooOOOooAAaaaarr!"
It dove in headfirst to Grimhild, opening its giant maw while flames converged in its throat.
Grimhild lifted her palm with her usual stoic expression, manifesting a black magic circle.
"Zolkick Dienma."
In a flash of light, a black flaming skull launched from the magical blueprint before slamming directly into the elder dragon with a fiery explosion.
Immediately, it dropped dead, colliding with the ground before tumbling forward.
While the ground quaked, the dragon's massive corpse slid to a halt with snow and fire scattering in its wake.
Jean lowered his daggers, panting.
"…You could've done that the whole time?"
Ebony crossed her arms while Grimhild grinned at them in the sky.
"I was just enjoying watching you struggle."
"What did I ever do to you?!" Shouted Jean.
Fhiron leaned over the railing of the divine ship in the sky.
"She used Hel's death magic? Well, I'll be."
Grimhild lowered her hand.
"Elder dragons are nuisances, nothing more." Her gaze shifted back to Estrilda. "We have bigger things to worry about. Such as making room for you on the ship."
Estrilda blinked multiple times, gazing at her sizable stature.
"Well… yes… you do have a point."