Thanks for all your lovely comments MeowyPatootie that give me morale to publish hehehe

"It's been hours since she set out on her quest and she hasn't returned yet?" Sorca grumbled, slamming her fists on the table. 

Even the wolves flinched at her obvious displeasure. They were almost too sure that if the general gets any more angry then the whole room might just burst into flames. Leader wolves* of each pack gathered in the room regarding their most recent emergency: finding their mother, Ruby. Fragarax shook his head with worry while Runa stared at the ground with melancholy. The female wolf had been the only one whom Ruby had told of her plans. Although she did her best to dissuade them from going, the little queen was really hellbent on setting off on an adventure. 

"Don't blame yourself too much for what happened. It was completely out of your control. We, her children, must obey what our mother desires." Fragarax comforted her, trying to lift her mood even a little. He placed a hand on her shoulder which made her flinch a bit before slowly loosening up.

"Take a deep breath. Hold it for ten counts and slowly release it." advised the male wolf. Runa just nodded. She took a deep breath and exhaled to release some tension. 

"Feeling better?"

"A bit, but I'm really worried about mother. I packed some rations for her before she left, but what if she lost her satchel and had nothing to eat?"

"Lady Mother is extremely resourceful and smart. If she went to a forest then she only needs to look for food and she will find it. Our mother is self-sufficient. Plus, Brother Hrod is a great hunter. I am sure they will take care of each other."

"I hope so... We should offer prayers to Meili* for their safe return." 

"We shall."

Ruby has been missing for several hours making all her friends and adopted wolf children worried about her safety. Sorca, who was specially appointed by Dyrroth to care for her, was the most upset of them all. Runa had told her everything about Ruby's plans to go to Arina with Hrod to find this mysterious all-knowing lion. The demoness, who just learned all of these, felt like a boulder was dropped over her. 

"That girl seriously wants to kill me with worry." groaned the demoness as she pushed her hair back. She held a little note on her hand written by Ruby saying: 

'Gotta check something out! Be right back! Don't worry, I brought Hrod with me.'

Love, 
Ruby

Sorca sighed imagining her friend walking gleefully into the arms of danger and Dyrroth gravely reprimanding her for letting it happen. 

"The two of them really are made for each other..." mumbled the demoness. She could still remember the prince going off on his spontaneous adventures fighting monsters, exploring dangerous caverns and terrains, and finding worthy opponents to fight. It would stress her out every time he runs off to an unknown place and then come home smirking and covered in blood like a madman. 

"Honestly, is this destiny? Are those two what you call soul mates?" mumbled Sorca with a bit of frustration at how reckless her two friends are.  

"I'm sorry. I should have stopped them before they left but they insisted on taking this quest because... Because they want to find answers about the effectiveness of the Ibong Adarna." explained Runa. 

"I am sure that they will be fine. I am sure that the two of them are keeping each other safe as we speak. They might have found the lion already." Fragarax calmy suggested. 

"I am aware of her power but there are forces in this world more powerful than her. The last time she set on a personal quest she nearly died. Not once, twice. The first was when she set out to the Fangs, the second when she met Loki. I trust her strength, certainly, but I do not trust the odds."

"We should use the Eye of the Sun and Stars to see where she is at the moment. I'm sure that once we see her happily trudging through the undergrowth then all of our worries will vanish to the wind." suggested Alaska. 

"Th-that's right. We should activate the spell at once!" Runa chimed in. Sorca nodded and the druid began to perform a spell. A star tetrahedron appeared on the table glowing brilliantly. It sent different colored lights to dance in the room. 

"Show us, Queen Ruby of Raizenhal." The druid, Helgi, asked to the artifact. The stellar eye became agitated, extending its points in all directions, contracting and expanding randomly while it spun and hovered in place. It exploded devouring the light and plunging the room into darkness for a split second before repainting the world around them. The trees of Arina stood tall replacing the four walls of the room while dirt and grass carpeted their feet. The apparition was so life-like that one could mistake it as having been teleported to this location without actually moving. 

"Where is she? I do not see anyone?" Sorca questioned frowning at their surroundings. 

"I detect a Fable Realm. See the light bending from that part. It's unnatural." informed Helgi pointing at a certain spot in the sky where the light shimmers. The abnormality extends several meters over the canopies and is not smaller than a hill. 

"Perhaps they are inside. Only powerful beings are capable of casting a world-bending spell like divine beings, elementals, titans, giants, and the likes." added the druid. 

"I see it. What is a fable realm?" Fragarax asked, taking a step closer to the invisible dome. 

"It's an intricate spell that overlaps an imaginary world, terrain, environment over the space of reality. It messes up with gravity and may cause spacial abnormalities to the surrounding area." 

"Can you say that again but in a language we understand?" Sorca demanded frowning at him. 

"It's a trap. Mother and Hrod are in danger. Many entities hate Fenrir and I can think of several individuals who can do this and would do this like Loki, other giants, and spiteful gods. The target might even be Hrod then the greatest candidate would be the Lunar entities he offended."

"Then we should set out immediately and rescue them! I will prepare the pack to set out immediately!" Fragarax declared standing firmly and glaring at the dome. He gripped the handles of his swords tightly as the recent information triggered his protective nature over his family. 

"Wait, something is happening..." Runa pointed out and just as she said, something burst from the top of the fable realm. A spear broke through the magic of the dome before disappearing into the heavens like a shooting star. 

"That is Jötun magic fused with Hrod's mana. It seems that they are fighting inside and the situation is dire. I sense multiple entities inside... Several dead... None of them is mother but there's someone very odd. They have a high amount of divine celestial magic and they are... A goddess. A moon goddess." Helgi informed, gasping in surprise at what he learned from his observation. 

"A moon goddess? Tsk... Gavanna! She must be taking revenge on Ruby because of what we did to her people! Prince Dyrroth was the one who destroyed her most loyal followers, the elves. She's the only one with the greatest motive to do this to Ruby!" Sorca gritted her teeth, squeezing her spear tighter.

"I will gather the legion and we head out at this very moment. There is no time to waste!" 

"Wait! Something is happening!" Runa exclaimed, pointing over the hole of the dome. 

"It's mother!" Helgi said with excitement. "Wait… Is she a Valkyrie?!! H-how is this possible?! I have so many questions!" 

They saw Ruby in a slightly different appearance but they were more alarmed by the large arrow protruding from her torso. She took out an object and swallowed it. They saw her vanish into nothingness; disappearing completely from their sight as another arrow shot past her previous location, only missing her by a few inches. Their surroundings glitched several times before changing back to their meeting room.  

"What the hell was that? Where is Ruby right now?" Sorca interrogated, turning her furious face at the druid. 

"I... I don't know. The Eye couldn't find her anymore, that's why the spell broke."

"Cast it again."

"I can't. The Eye needs to gather enough energy from the sun and stars which means that it will have to take another day to work. But based on what we saw we already know certain information. First, lady mother was attacked by the moon goddess Gavanna and her lackeys. Second, lady mother had fused with Hrod temporarily as evident by his absence and the scent of his magic emanating around her body. Third, the thing that mother swallowed allowed her to teleport to an unknown location. It was too small for me to see but I think it was something that looks like a marble."

"It was a pearl to be precise." Fragarax cuts in. "I've seen her wearing it around her neck. I thought it was simply an accessory but it seems to be a magical item as well."

"That... I think it was the Tears of Kadita owned by Terizla's dead daughter, Kali. It seems like that cunning blacksmith gave it to her to escape Dyrroth before. It allows one to teleport anywhere you think of." Sorca added tapping her finger on the table. 

"But where could she have gone to?"

"Well, wherever she went I am guessing that it is a place where the sun doesn't shine and the stars don't sparkle in the sky. It could be somewhere underground or another realm entirely like Svartalfheim (Land of Dwarves), Helheim (Hela's Realm/Land of the Dead), or even Ginnungagap (Void)."

"Or the Abyss... The Abyss is so deep no light from the sun touches it much less the stars." 

"Maybe she went there for Lord Dyrroth." Runa suggested making the others nod. 

"It's possible but the Abyss isn't exactly welcoming either and those still loyal to Lord Dyrroth are currently few and divided. There's still an uproar regarding who the next prince is going to be if he dies so it will be pretty dangerous. The best course of action is to take a small squadron first instead of bringing a massive party. I can lead the way but no one must know what we are doing and which faction we belong in."

"General Sorca, I would like to volunteer myself as a member of this squad. Give me permission to help you search for our mother." Fragarax declared standing firmly. 

"Me too! I wanna help look for mother." Runa added eagerly. 

"Denied, both of you. Fragarax, your size and appearance will make you noticeable in the Abyss. Also, Raizenhal will need you to hold down the fort while the queen is away as well as I. Runa, you must make sure that the day-to-day operations here are maintained without fail. Both of you must do everything in your power to make sure that Ruby has a home to get back to." replied Sorca sternly. 

"Yes, ma'am!" 

"Yes, general!" 

🌷

The meeting was dismissed and wolves began to exit the room one by one bearing their respective orders. Fragarax walked alone contrary to everyone else who walked in groups or pairs. He suddenly noticed Runa heading to the gardens by herself. He saw sadness in her eyes and decided to follow her against his better judgment that tells him to mind his own business. 

"Runa, are you alright?" he asked after making sure that no one else could hear them. The she-wolf seemed surprised at first, quickly wiping her tears away before turning to him with a forced smile. 

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern. You should return to your duties. You heard what the general said. We must do our part to serve our mother." Fragarax didn't miss the way that her voice cracked when she said 'mother', hinting to him that she does indeed feel guilty for what happened to Ruby. 

"I know that you're lying. I know that you blame yourself for what happened but I... Uhm... I don't think that you should do that. Blaming yourself." Fragarax tried to comfort her but ended up poorly stringing up a bunch of words in an attempt to lessen her misery. He groaned internally wanting to bash his head against the wall. Suddenly he's reminded of Ruby and how poorly she articulates during intimate topics like this. It seems that he's truly her son and there's no doubt about that. 

"But I am to blame! I didn't do anything to stop mom and now we are not sure where she is and if she's safe!" Runa exclaimed, burying her face in her hands. 

Fragarax glanced at her with worry racking his brain for anything that he could say to help her lighten her mood but came up with nothing. Their mother is the one who is great at things like this. She's emphatic and compassionate. Ruby always seems to know what to say and do so what would she do? 

"Uhmm... Do you want a hug?"

Oh yes Fragarax, that's not weird at all. Just go jump at the highest tower while the smallest bit of your dignity is still intact. You're not even that close and you offer something so intimate? Awkward as hell. Maybe he should just stick to his reserved nature instead of trying to copy his mother. 

"Just forget—" he was interrupted when Runa took his offer and hugged him indeed. He was stupefied, unable to process what was happening so he decided to go with it. He wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to cry. 

Fragarax was never a wolf of words. He is unlike Fenrir who is eloquent and distinguished or Ruby who is charismatic and beautiful. He's just plain old Fragarax, born to fight, survive, and kill. He views himself as nothing more than a tool. A machine that would do whatever its master tells it. With that, he grew up learning no warmth besides the heat of battle. Well that was all until he met his mother, Ruby, and whenever he sees... 

"They're gonna be okay, right?" Runa asked while sobbing. Fragarax has no idea what to answer. Just like her, he's clueless as to what would happen to Ruby but he has faith that she'll be okay. 

"I don't know where they are, nor how they are doing but I do know that mother is a strong and capable woman while Hrod is a brave and powerful warrior. They are going to be alright as long as they have each other. They'll find their way back here, we just need to keep the light burning."

Runa didn't reply and only buried her face deeper into his fur and cried her heart out. Fragarax hugged her tighter. It was almost never there but to anyone observant enough they would detect the single streak of tear that vanished on his fur. 

"They'll find their way back here..."

🌷

Ruby found herself tumbling through the dirt while Hrod was forcefully ejected from their fusion. They landed a few meters from each other groaning from the impact and the injuries they sustained. 

Ruby slowly pushed her body up and touched her chest where the arrow was shot but she didn't find anything. Thankfully, she didn't sustain any serious wounds and only earned a bit of gash. Hrod, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky as her. His moans of pain captured her attention and even though dizzy and disoriented, Ruby forced her body from the ground and ran towards the wolf. 

What she saw broke her heart into a thousand pieces. 

Hrod had taken all the damages meant for her leaving him bloody and battered. Large wounds split his flesh turning his silver fur red. But the most heartbreaking part of it all is the large arrow that protrudes through his torso. He writhed in pain, howling and whimpering sorrowfully. His mouth was frothing while his eyes grew clouded. You can almost see the anguish on his cerulean orbs and it was damning. 

Ruby went down on her knees and nestled his head on her lap. Hot tears blurred her vision and fell on his face in large droplets. 

"Hrod, speak to me! Please! Tell me that you'll be okay." She briefly glanced at his injury and saw more blood flowing out of his wounds. She closed her eyes tightly shut wishing that it wasn't real. Even for a moment, she wished with all her heart that his wounds would disappear and he'd be okay again. However, to her dismay, it was still there and Hrod was still whimpering with pain. 

She saw Hrod's eyes looking at her pleadingly. He was begging her to help him and she wiped her tears before kissing his face. 

"I'll do everything I can to help you, darling!" she declared with determination. 

By now, Skadi's regalia had completely disappeared and she was left bare in her tunic. With the little magic she could call fort, she mustered her strength and chanted to manifest the runes. She summoned the same runes she gave to Dyrroth which bring protection and healing. However once she engraved them on Hrod's skin, the light faded and the runes vanished like the dying embers of a furnace. 

"W-what? I don't understand... Why did the rune disappear?" Ruby mumbled in disbelief.

"A...ar...row...c-cursed..." Hrod managed to wheeze out, grunting in pain with every passing second. 

"But if I remove it you'll bleed to death."

"N-no... Death. N-not... gonna die. Uncle... Jörmungandr... not gonna die... Snake cheat death..." By now Hrod's voice and thoughts are delivered in broken and coarse language. It seems that the pain is rendering him weaker by the second. 

"I... I don't understand, Hrod. Jormungand? Snake cheat death? What does that mean?"

"I'll... Be fine... Just protect... yourself, m-mom... I hear... I hear footsteps... S-summon Algiz. Protection."

Ruby did not question him further and only casted the said rune. With shaking fingers she drew the rune on the notepad and it burned like an azure brand transforming into a dome-shaped wall around them. Just as the protective wall closed around them, an arrow shot toward the pair but was instantly destroyed on impact. The magical barrier held strong despite the sudden lethargy it casted on the maiden. 

Ruby nearly collapsed on the ground but she held herself upright to defend Hrod and herself. At first, she thought that her attacker was the goddess and her lackeys again but she was completely astounded when she saw something different. Something... Egyptian? 

They were wrapped completely in gauzes which reminded her of how Egyptians buried their dead. However, these fellows seemed rather... animate. Where did they come from and what is this place? 

She heard rustling from behind her and turned her head to check it out only to find Hrod up on his paws, wobbling like a dry branch to the wind. Realizing what he intended to do, Ruby came to his side and hugged his neck. 

"Hrod! Get back down! You can't fight. You're in no shape to fight. I'm sorry, okay. It's all my fault now let me protect you. I can still fight." she reasoned. 

"Your mana... is depleted, M...Mom. I still have some to spare. Plus, I am your son. It is my duty to serve and protect you." With that, he gently pushed her to the side and pounced on the enemy. There were 5 in total and he ravaged them with no mercy.

Hrod tore through the mummies like a sickle through the reeds. Despite being severely wounded, he still proved to be one of the strongest beasts of the Norse world. No shield could stand against his claws, no sword could rival his fangs. The mummies wrapped their bandages all over his limbs trying to contain him. 

Hrod tried to break free but the bandages seemed to be enchanted. Every time he tears them apart they grow more resistant. It was getting harder to break them until he couldn't tear through them anymore. One mummy managed to hit him with a spear and the blade penetrated his already battered flesh. 

His knees bent but the fire in his eyes didn't fade. Ruby didn't stand idle and sent the rune of fire, Fehu, towards their last remaining opponents. They were reduced to nothing more than ashes. With the Egyptian mummies gone, Hrod sank back to the ground panting and whimpering. 

"You must go, mother. This place is... Is not safe. We've only been here for a few seconds.. and yet... and yet we are already being... attacked. Plus, those things... Weren't even trying to fight. They were... They were fleeing from... something. Quickly, ... You must... Find your way and... And return to the... Return to the pack. Gavanna must be punished... For trying to hurt... You. Skoll will know... what to do." Hrod's voice gradually grew weaker while his eyes lost their vibrance. It was as if Ruby was watching a flame flicker out and every bit of it was torture to her heart. 

"Do not say such things! I will heal you!"

"I'll... be fine. I am... Your son after all. Run, mom… I'll follow you… soon. I promise." His voice gradually grew weaker as if his life was being drained with every breath that he takes. Ruby could already see the hands of death gently caressing his body, coaxing his soul to follow her to her kingdom. She refused to accept this. She would not let go of Hrod! She would push Hela's hands away from his brave and sweet soul.

'Snake cheat... death...'

Like the dying light of a candle, the smallest bit of vitality vanished from his face. His breathing stopped, and his eyes turned completely blank as if the stars themselves had faded to the nothingness of space. Hati Hródvitnisson is gone and his corpse laid on her lap like a hollow shell. 

"Hrod?"

No response came. 

"HROD!!!" Tears fell from her eyes, soaking her cheeks as loud wails left her lips. Continuously, she didn't stop engraving the runes of healing on his body but they would immediately fade every time they were drawn. 

"Damn it...! Fenrir! Fenrisulfr, I need your help! Please... Save your son he cannot die like this... I can't lose him. I can't lose someone I love like this... Not again."

'Snake cheat death' Her mind repeated these words and suddenly flashbacks of how Jormungand easily regenerated himself after being slain by Fenrir. 

"...The snake is an ambiguous creature... It symbolizes destruction but it can also be the symbol of rebirth. Since I am the Eternal Serpent I think that I will be generous to you. You can have one of my infinite lives as a reward... It is already stored in the Heart of Skadi. Use it wisely." The words of Jörmungand rang in her ears and her heart began to fill up with hope. Perhaps... She can use it to save Hrod. Immediately, she picked herself up and grabbed the pendant on her bosom. It glowed with ethereal light but she doesn't know how to use it to do what she wants.

"Jörmungandr." With the specific thought of the snake, Ruby focused her mind on calling forth his essence. For a brief second, a vision of a pale snake appeared in her mind. It opened its ominous eyes that glowed crimson. Her mind went blank as if she lost consciousness but when she opened her eyes something was glowing within her palm. 

"This is... Jörmungand's life?"

The object was shaped like a snake swallowing its tail, three golden rings spun around it as it glowed green. The shade of green constantly changes from something that looks like the vitality of nature to a neon color that looks like a toxic substance. It was different from moment to moment. It changes and yet it remains the same. The object is truly enigmatic. It is too great to be described with words. Holding it within her palms makes her want to cry both in lamentation and joy. 

It was weird, odd. She feels nauseous but strangely energetic at the same time. It was too peculiar to understand what it is or what it meant but somehow something deep inside her knows what it truly is.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she turned her attention to the wolf's corpse.

"Sorry, Hrod but you'll have to visit your aunt another time." Ruby was about to place the emblem on his body but she was alarmed when something began to bulge on his stomach. It moved for a bit as if something was alive inside him. It pushed through his flesh trying to break free, making her anxious. 

"Awooooooo!"

"Wahhhhh?!" Ruby stumbled as the thing finally broke through Hrod's stomach and popped out of his corpse. She nearly dropped the Snake Vitality while gawking at the creature that appeared. 

"Mommy!"

Leader wolves= Leader wolves are the breeding pair of each of the 8 wolf borns. There's no such thing as an alpha it's just a cliché of pop culture.

Meili= Norse god of travel. Praying and offering to Meili is to pray for safe travels for yourself or for the people you love.