It was funny in a morbid way. One minute she had been fighting for her life...or rather cowering behind someone who was fighting for her life and the next minute she was at school. Even though she changed her clothes, now dressed in a red and yellow tunic and even had her hair braided into a more traditional style by her two female roommates, she felt like she still stuck out like a sore thumb.

She stood out in one of the many pits that littered the school. Well it wasn't a pit, but rather a series of descending spiraling groves that led to a flat base platform. Ashild looked on at her fellow students, and they were often looking at her far before she did. Her self consciousness gave way to interpreting the mass of whispers around her as slights against her. Although to be fair, even though people often said that others won't give you a second thought, she knew all too well that everyone gives thoughts on others, even if they've never even met formally.

Her stream of thought was interrupted by a stern voice coming across her. "Ashild."

It was Baldur, who looked upon her kindly, but very sternly. "Try it once more."

The blonde haired youth looked in front of her to see a training dummy. She channeled all of her anger and thrust her hands towards the piece of wood, and barely managed to produce even the slightest spark or fire from her hands. She would have felt better if this wasn't the best result she had come up with in about an hour and a half. The girl had been working so hard she had forgotten it was her birthday today...not that she had any family to celebrate it with.

She turned around, only to find herself face to face with a sword coming down right upon her. Ashild raised her hands straight towards the blade and conjured a great flame from them almost immediately. The blade stopped in its place and when the smoke dissipated it revealed an older gentleman,  older than Baldur right in front of her, a large smile upon his face.

He had short, white hair. He too had a crimson tunic upon his person, but his was weathered and far more plain. A myriad of weapons lay littered all over his person, most notable amongst them was a massive shield tied by straps to his back. "Tyr, that was completely unnecessary." Baldur groaned.

"The lass isn't going to learn anything if you dottle over her all day. My daughter is the strongest person in this entire school for good reason." Tyr replied rather haughtily.

"Odin has chosen me as her instructor, if she wishes to do so she can take upon lessons with you...and if you wish to disobey the authority of our sovereign, be my guest. And Hilda has much to learn before you can say such a thing."

Tyr scoffed. "Typical Odinson, always hiding behind their father's authority. I'll leave well enough alone then, but if the girl wants to actually learn something my door is always open."

So this was Hilda's father? She called herself Tyrsdottir...but they seemed hardly alike. Hilda was far more agreeable than her father, although perhaps maybe she just didn't know either well enough to truly know how either of them were.

She had been doing nothing but physical activity for the last few hours. Even beyond her mystical abilities, she had been forced through grueling physical exercises. This place resembled more of a boot camp if anything. Ashild couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong about this place. Although considering that she had no way out of this place, she might as well just deal with it for the time being.

The blonde walked on towards Hilda as everyone entered a recess. However, the young demigod continued to brutalize the poor dummy in front of her. Having her sacred arm sash nearly taken away from her seemed to have an effect on her attitude. Most interestingly in her observations were that her and her father never spoke throughout his entire time here. "So...if the point of this place is to train the powers of everyone here...then what happens when we graduate? "

"People just do what they want afterwards. Joining Odin's army is the decision most make, but it's not at all compulsory." Hilda answered.

"So what's your goal after all this? What's your dream?"

"I'm going to become a great warrior. The greatest warrior that ever lived. I'm going to become more powerful than Thor himself. Then and only then will I be satisfied."

Ashild raised an eyebrow at her. "Does this have anything to do with your father?"

Hilda thought for a moment, before nodding slowly. There was no use in denying that Tyr played a role in this mentality. "He's always off doing missions for Odin, when he's here...everyone becomes his damn kid. Just look at the way he talks to people. He's always looking out for their best interest and tutoring them."

The Midgard bound woman turned to see Tyr talking to some of the other students. He wasn't nurturing like Baldur, but he did care about the others, being far more strict and firm in his approach. "Have you ever told him how you feel?"

"He's got bigger problems to deal with, he doesn't need me bothering him."

"Well maybe they're important to him- "

Hilda butchered the dummy in half with one swing of her sword, causing its head to crash onto the ground. "I appreciate your concern, Ashy, but you don't know anything about my father or this place. I know the way he thinks already."

The two made their way to the dining hall of the school. It was a massive, wooden structure laced with silver. The entire section of the building was an elongated Viking hall with tables that stretched on and on, food a plenty and people a plenty. This place, just like the market, stank of alcohol though...particularly mead. As the two made their way inside, a series of whispers could be heard from the various students.

"Have you heard what happened to the Glasir?"

"Yeah, the All-Father hasn't done anything yet but I'm sure he will."

"He'll set those filthy Jotnar straight, I'm sure of it."

"How do we know it to be the Jotnar?"

"Get off it, nobody but the Jotnar would dare pull something like that."

The blonde furrowed a brow, Hilda wasn't kidding when she said these people had their reservations when it came to the Jotnar. She sat herself down after gathering a healthy balanced breakfast composed of fruits, eggs, and some water. Hilda in contrast had stacked a plate up at least two feet high with nothing but meat and a massive tankard of mead on the side. "So...if the Aesir have a school and the Vanir have a school...what about the Jotnar?"

Hilda placed a finger on her chin. "The Jotnar have a school yes, but it's not as big as this one. In the outskirts of Jotunheim there is the Utgard Institute. Not much is known about them. I've heard it was made in collaboration with the other schools but I've never seen a student from there in my entire life."

There was a loud chime that could be heard all throughout the school. It was one that captured the eyes of all students around. Ashild had wondered if this was about what had happened yesterday.

There came a woman, far older than the rest of the student body, but still very much young in appearance. She was another member of the gods that seemed to be running the school. She had long, blonde hair that stretched down to her waist. A gorgeous, green flowing dress was what she wore, leaving her arms and much of her legs exposed. In one hand she held a silver spoon, and in the other, a large vase jug of mead, surprisingly still half full. "Hello everyone! I am pleased to announce that tonight we will be hosting the annual gift exchange with the Vanir school. All further classes will be canceled today...but don't be going off home just yet! You students will be in charge of decorating the school before night falls."

Hilda groaned. She'd much rather train than aimlessly galavant about setting up a party, especially when she knew only around half a third of the students would actually be doing any of the real work. "Saga is at it again...I really do think she doesn't understand people would rather go to a party than set it up themselves."

"So, who is she?" Ashild asked, turning over to Hilda.

"Saga's an old flame of Odin. She's pretty much the hostess of any event at the school. And only that. She's out drinking whenever she's not working and she drinks a lot."

That was rather rich coming from an Asgardian, who seemed to be drinking aplenty. "So if Baldur is Odin's son and Saga is his old flame...does that mean Odin's the principal here?"

Hilda spat out her mead and burst into a fit of laughter. "What!? No! Odin is far too busy ruling Asgard to be the principal of some school. He exercises a great deal of control and constructed the school, but directly, the school shifts hands between whoever is available to run it when the Aesir aren't needed in foreign lands."

After lunch was over, setting up the party had begun. The halls were littered with expensive candles, wreaths, shields, and various wooden reliefs of epic stories were hung up. Ashild had found herself at the tail end of the school by herself, the people who she was supposed to help having long since ditched her. As she began to set up the candles she silently wondered if their purpose was to mask the eternal aroma of alcohol that seemed to be embedded into the very foundation of the school.

Her musings on such things were interrupted by a set of footsteps approaching her. Was someone coming to help? The blonde shifted her attention to the source of the noise. And her eyes stayed there as she realized who it was.

Aelfflaed. The Svartalf Princess. She was one of the first people she met during her bizarre journey to this strange place. In spite of not knowing her very well, there was a certain gravity she felt towards her. Just as the moon is convinced to rotate around the earth, Ashild felt prompted to get closer to her. Her face reddened at the sight of the grey skinned woman, her body becoming warm as she approached closer and closer. "How are you holding up, Midgardian?"

Ashild kept staring, then proceeded to blink several times in quick succession, which only seemed to make things more awkward. She found herself at a loss of words for a bit. "Oheverythingisgoinggood!" She managed to blurt out, barely comprehensible.

The princess raised an eyebrow at her in confusion, her white cloak gleaming in the ever approaching darkness of the night, just as it did the night they met. "I'll be seeing you when the party begins proper. It seems you've got your work cut out for you."

The blonde felt like saying something else, but the quest to find that something went on for so long that Aelfflaed had long since left the room by the time she could think of something to say. She let out a groan in self disappointment and set her eyes back on the candles. She stretched her hands outwards and let out a mighty grunt, trying to use her powers to light them...to no avail. If anything, with all the grunting and stretching she performed, she looked more constipated than anything else.

She sighed in double defeat. She couldn't talk to the girl, she didn't know who her father was, she didn't know how to use her powers, she didn't know how she was going to fit in, she didn't know who was hunting her, she didn't know anything. Ashild took in a deep breath after pouting to herself, walking on to find any kind of match to light the candles she had set up.

Ashild walked through the corridors, managing to bump into her apartment roommates. Eilbert, Hilda, and Frida were hauling around some massive crates. "More party supplies? It's a little late for that don't you think?"

Frida shook her head. "Nay. These are the gifts that are to be exchanged."

The blonde youth peered her head into the crates to see a series of painted eggs within them. They were far better looking than anything she had seen during Easter. In fact, they seemed to be made out of some kind of rich metallic substance.  Whatever they were, they looked expensive. Her quizzical look had prompted the others to give an explanation. "These eggs are a ceremonial thing. It's to celebrate the day when the Aesir and Vanir joined forces to halt the advance of the mighty dragon Fafnir and his horde of dragons from reaching Odin's treasury." Hilda said, waltzing on over to the ballroom to set the crates down.

"Many of the great gifts from Nidavellir would have been lost on that day had it not been for that powerful alliance bearing fruit." Frida added, setting her own crate down.

"So, have you finished your section yet?" Hilda inquired, doing a little stretch.

She fought in many a battle and slayed many a foe, but manual labor was never going to ever be appealing to her. Especially if it didn't involve fighting. "Yeah, I just need to light the candles."

"I'll take care of that. You should wear that dress we got you at the market yesterday, I bet you'd look really pretty in it. Maybe you'll meet a cute boy."

Ashild couldn't help but fall into pause as her mind immediately raced towards the sight of the Svartalf princess once again, almost phasing into an Elysian daydream. "Something wrong?"

The Midgardian shook her head. "Don't you think it's weird that none of the teachers have brought up the Glasir being damaged?"

Hilda stretched her back and laughed. "That's what's got you all worked up? Odin is the wisest of all the gods and his sons are the strongest of all the gods. I'm sure whatever happened there has been long taken care of already. Even if it wasn't, they probably don't want to cause a panic across the school. We're strong...but we're still very young in our experience in battle."

She placed a finger on her chin. "On second thought...I'll escort you to the apartments, Hilda can light those candles."

As the two left, Eilbert's eyes darted until the two women vanished from sight. He moved on to look at Frida, letting out a sigh of relief. "They're gone now...do you think...you can do it again?"

His voice was ridden with a soft desperation and weariness, and Frida gave an expression equally weary. "Eilbert...that's not going to help. What you need is to move on..."

The Jotun stared her down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I didn't ask you what I need. I'm asking you if you can do it again." He replied sternly.

Frida let out a sigh and nodded. "Turn around for me."

The burly blonde swung his head back as he was told, and in turn, the daughter of Eir placed her hands upon the back of his head. Soon his mind was filled with pleasant thoughts as she used her healing powers to soothe him. She frowned as she did so. She took no pleasure in doing this, as she feared that the broken man would only break further as he was given an outlet to indulge himself. However, she never had the resolve to outright deny him, and the arousal of his anger was a troublesome thing indeed.

She had continued for several minutes, however, this was halted abruptly. Eilbert turned over to her. "Why'd you stop?"

The demigoddess turned all around the room to see what was going on. "Listen, Eilbert."

There was a crackling that could be heard all throughout the room. It was similar to that of a window breaking, but there was something far more disturbingly intimate about it, something more fleshly. The burly blonde looked down at the crates to see that the eggs inside were cracking open. He placed a hand upon one of the eggs to feel it. They were made from a metal alloy, he was sure of it, but as it stood, they felt like actual eggshells. One burst open right in front of them, spewing its primordial juices all over him. "How is this possible!?" Eilbert shouted out, grasping his axe as he slammed it down upon one of the crates, dispatching an entire score of eggs prematurely.

Frida looked onwards at the eggs, getting behind the Jotun as the beings within began to emerge. "They were mere decorations when we picked them up, that I am sure of. There's only one explanation for this. Some kind of powerful illusion or hex must have been placed upon these things before we took them out from storage."

That's when it clicked in Eilbert's mind. "Puka." He simply muttered, his eyes darting towards the ground in surprise.

It seemed not even the school was safe from the Alf's mischief. He watched as from the eggs emerged infantile dragons, spawns of mighty Fafnir from ages passed. They began as infants, but rapidly began to grow into more juvenile forms. It wasn't out of the question to assume that they were going to grow more as time went on. The small horde immediately began to rush past them in a deadly flight, as if the two demigods were inconsequential to them. "They must be after Ashild! We got attacked yesterday as well at the Glasir!" Frida shouted, immediately making a break for the doors to close them.

Ashild. She was a demigoddess who could barely control her powers. She hailed from the least humble of all the Nine Worlds. Why was she so damn important? The Jotun had been sent by Baldur himself to retrieve her, it was clear that not only did these hunters desire the girl, but Odin himself as well.

The creatures huffed and puffed in retaliation, preparing to spew a great stream of fire at the daughter of Eir, however, before they could do so, Eilbert's axe was flung right towards them, slicing several open in violent trajectory.

He kept fighting and fighting, even when without his axe and burned with their streams of fire he brutalized each of the adolescent drakes until he was sure that Frida was safe. While he was so silent so often, it was in battle that his hatred of the world was on full display. Every bit of grief was forced outward from his bodily prison and inflicted brutally upon his enemies. He grunted as he slew the last of their lot. He grasped his axe, which had embedded himself in the door from his throw, leaning against the wall shortly afterwards in fatigue. She immediately rushed to his side and began to treat his burns.

There was something romantic about how he protected her, but she knew deep inside that any pursuit beyond their friendship wouldn't end well. Because Eilbert wasn't well. The Jotun desired peace while constantly warring with himself, and Frida could only provide a temporary release. Could a man love a tankard of mead that would soothe him for a mere moment and make him forget? Could a man truly care for a long walk that made him feel better? Could a man truly see serenity as a partner? She allowed her thoughts to reassure her not to go any deeper, and changed the internal subject immediately. "This is going to be a mess to clean up...how are we going to explain this to Saga?"

"We have gifts a plenty. I'm sure they can whip up something in the treasury. Besides, I find it rather crass that we give the same damn gift every year. Maybe they'll like something new for a change." Eilbert mused.

There was a creaking on the floorboards. The axeman blinked for a moment as he tried his best to find the source, but all he could see was the scores of dead dragons he left behind in his wake. The creaking grew louder and louder until it gained the attention of Frida as well. It was only with the shifting of a table that the two realized what was going on.

The flight of dragons was a mere distraction. One of the bastards had hidden themselves beneath one of the tables to buy time for the spell to allow them to grow and grow so it would no longer be a mere inconvenience any more. The scaled being burst out from under the table, not manifesting itself as an adult just yet, but far older than the juvenile dragons that Eilbert had fought before.

Fearless, he did not hesitate to sally forth against the beast even though it was far larger than himself. The bastard swung its tail towards Eilbert and put a quick end to his advance, hurling him into the wall. With a heavy thump he was struck, but again he came forth in a great run. His hands never loosened the grip upon his axe. He ventured to never lose it again, for the name of his mother means 'armed-with-an-iron-sword', and thus she was known to make the best weapons amongst the Jotnar, her work earning the envy of even those who dwelled in Nidavellir.

His axe was sharper than any weapons that the Einherjar or the Valkyries wielded, but it was not because of this he valued his axe. It was because it came from his mother, and to Eilbert, his mother was all he had left in this world. In his second charge the beast attempted to swing its claws towards him, but he managed to duck and slide down the gut-lubricated floor before they reached him. As the beast proceeded to open its mouth to prepare a mighty stream of fire, the burly blonde swung his axe into the neck of the beast. This had managed to cause some blockage within him, and instead of exhaling the fire the fire burned within him violently, causing the beast to retreat back.

Eilbert pulled his axe away, staring down the monster. The creature thrashed its tail around, causing the tables to flip over and fly across the room, wood shattering against silver and stone all over the place. The beast screamed in pain from what was inflicted upon it, furious at what the Jotun had done. "I have had enow!" Eilbert shouted, making another charge as the creature was still in great pain and couldn't think straight.

With its predatory mind scattered and collecting itself, the axeman threw down his weapon towards the eye of the beast, causing it to howl only louder in agony. And again he moved as the creature's mind was gone, swinging his weapon to deliver the final blow to its stomach, where it would bleed out not long after. Blood came forth from the mighty beast and spread onto the floor, and one moment after another, he slowly but surely cowered down until he passed. "Had that dragon flight been allowed to grow to adulthood...we might have all been killed. This goes far beyond a meager girl."

Frida couldn't help but shiver a bit at what she had just seen. It was yet another reason that she did not pursue feelings with Eilbert. When he was docile he was empty, when he raged though, he raged without fathom, and only was soothed when he got his way. "I'll just um...report to Baldur about this..." Frida sheepishly said, leaving the room shortly after, leaving Eilbert to ruminate in the dragon corpse ridden room...

The party had been delayed by an hour or so due to mysterious circumstances, well, mysterious to everyone except for Eilbert and Frida. However, things went off without a hitch not long after, no dragon corpses in sight.

The Vanir and Aesir youth flooded the halls of the school, partying in great jubilation to celebrate their unity with one another. In the crowd of people, however, Ashild was only concerned about one. She wore a beautiful linen dress tunic and had Hilda braid her hair into a traditional style. The Midgard lady had caught the eye of some of the Vanir men, but she quickly raced past them as she searched and searched for the person that she had in mind.

She was nowhere to be seen. How could this be? She said she was going to be here. She said she was going to see her again.

The blonde youth didn't know why she was so disappointed. She barely knew the Svartalf but there was something bigger than reason that drew her close to her. Something she couldn't explain as her heart throbbed violently. Her eyes looked onwards through the vast crowd of people, before feeling a hand on her shoulder. "Hilda, I'm not in the-"

As she turned around, there she was. Fair and beautiful Aelfflaed, staring her down. "I hardly recognized you with the new attire. It is good to see that you are adjusting quickly to this place."

Ashild couldn't help but feel speechless as their eyes met once more. She exchanged a smile which was met with another by her. "Would you like to dance with me? I'm almost certain you don't know how to dance like we do."

Even though it was a mere gesture of good will, Ashild's heart melted as she said those words. In that moment, nothing else mattered to her. Being a stranger in a strange land, mystical powers, weird enemies...none of that mattered right now. All that mattered was one word that she felt compelled to respond with.

"Yes!"