Quickly entering your lodging upon returning to Bear's domain, you gather supplies for the short travel down the mountain region and towards the lake. As you hurriedly packed the essentials, Suri walked in through the partially open door, displaying a gloomy expression.

"So the whispers I heard are true; you are indeed leaving?"

"Yes, just to the lake. I believe that is where I will find the answers we seek."

"And after? Will you head back home?"

"I head nowhere until we have resolved this. Should it take weeks or months, I will not abandon Jotunheim." You stuff a few of Ovahh's favourite energy bars into your small bag, but are soon disturbed by Suri's rough advance towards you.

"Oh, Eden. You are a tremendous asset to Jotunheim!" She firmly grasps you while rubbing her face against yours, an action she frequently performs thanks to Ovahh.

She pulled you in tighter, causing your cheek to be crushed against her cleavage, rendering your speech muffled.

"You are restricting my airways." You murmur.

She instantly loosened her grip.

"Permit me to accompany you to the lake. I won't be an inconvenience, and an extra pair of hands will allow us to carry more provisions." Her tone was almost imploring.

You were overjoyed by Suri's desire to join you, and you promptly accepted her offer to attend.

Your time spent packing was cut short thanks to her assistance, and after double-checking that you had everything, you both made your way to the common room to meet Loki.

"We are ready to go when you are." You spoke aloud as you entered.

To your surprise, Tres and the few others you've come to enjoy the company of rushed towards you in an effort to bid you a fond farewell.

You giggled as they crowded around you and gave you affectionate hugs. It was a drastic change from their reserved and apprehensive behaviour upon first meeting.

"I am coming back!" You exclaim. "I'm only going towards the lake which is a mere thirty minute trek downhill."

"It is irrelevant, Lady Eden." Tres spoke warmly. "Docat's always bid farewell, as sometimes our loved ones do not return from even the most secure of journeys. We share our affection before every departure, regardless of whether we anticipate your return."

Out of all the customary rituals that the Docat's performed, this was your favourite.

"I think I will adopt such a tradition too." You admit.

You waved a final goodbye before departing with Suri and Loki, who took position on either side of you. Xanda remained in the rear to serve as a scout, while Ovahh and Bear, with superior knowledge of the terrain, led everyone along the safest route.

The weather was in your favour, being mild, with the sun occasionally breaking through the clouds to provide you with warmth. Thankfully, the winds were calm, making the descent rather straightforward.

"I believe you are already accustomed to our climate, Eden." Suri was impressed by your rigid posture as you trailed the snow without falling once.

"Perhaps I am transforming similar to your Docat race." You say amusedly.

"Oh, that would be something. However, I wonder, will your eyes become as crimson as a Jotun or as black as a Docat?"

"Maybe they will continue to be the sky blue that I have come to adore." Loki responded with a grin.

"It matters not what colour, I'd simply love to have such an ability." You admit. "To be able to touch Jotun skin without consequence would be..." You pause and heave a sigh.

Loki grasped your palm and brought it to his lips, gently kissing the middle of it.  "It would be incredible, darling. But it is not necessary."

Once again, you sensed his unconditional love for you, exactly as you are. You knew it did not matter that your stubbornness filled you from head to toe; he adored you anyway.

The duration spent walking downhill passed quickly, and in no time you found yourself gazing at the lake in the distance.

Bear had made certain to lead you to the correct side of the lake that contained the life tree, and as you approached, you immediately detected the land sickness, confirming that this was indeed the origin.

"I wish to speak to the tree, if I may?"

Loki nodded.

Bear and the others inspected the surroundings while Loki escorted you towards the tree; however, with each step you took, the unsettling sensation that had formed inside you intensified.

The voice of the previous elder tree, who had been initially reluctant to speak, echoed in your mind, and the repetition of his words now made more sense.

"Should it permeate the soul of the land, there is no stopping it."

You were aware that each realm possessed a life tree whose roots extend deep into the ground, drawing life directly from the undisturbed centre.

You finally understood what he meant, having previously been unsure of what the soul was. But it was now plainly evident. The life tree is the soul of the land, and something sinister was attempting to harm it.

You knew that if it succeeded in destroying the roots, the entire realm would perish.

You rest your hand on the tree, and the instant you do, a vivid image flashes through your mind.

You witnessed what you had feared the most—what you had desperately hoped would not be the case. But the tree granted you foresight, revealing precisely what was threatening the lands.

A kellite.

You saw a very detailed depiction of the kellite creature, first seen in Alfheim that was on display in Caspian's museum of oddities. It was here, burrowing somewhere beneath the ground, spreading its poison and infecting the entirety of Jotunheim; fully engaged to claim its next domain.

Loki observed you standing completely motionless with your hand still clinging to the tree.

"Eden? Is everything alright?"

"Isla." You whisper.

"What did you say, darling?"

"Her name is Isla." You turn around and give him a false smile. You could not tell him that it was confirmed to be a kellite and that, like Fumi, Jotunheim was almost certainly doomed.

You had previously researched these long-forgotten relics, so you knew the crafty creatures liked to burrow. When they delve deeply, it is nearly impossible to locate them and equally difficult to lure them. They were adept at avoiding exposure.

You didn't have the heart to reveal that the sole option was to abandon Jotunheim and declare the realm lost, relocating all its civilians, lest they succumb along with the land. You question whether or not they would even leave their home. The strong feelings within you told you they wouldn't.

"Our life tree is a female?" Loki quizzed.

"Does it surprise you?" You spread your faux grin wider. "Life trees are predominately female, they are more robust, and are able to withstand many challenges."

You turn around to observe the tree, concealing the crushing sorrow that threatened to appear on your face. But you felt him approach you from behind and tenderly drape his arms around your waist. He tucked his head into the crook of your neck and inhaled your scent.

"It comes as no surprise to those with a discerning mind. I am aware that women are superior, and meeting you is further evidence of that. You are the strongest person I know." He kissed a sensitive spot on your neck and you wriggled against him.

"I will never get work done should you remain close to me." You assert, knowing if he stays around you much longer, your facade will crumble and he'll see your despair.

Loki sighed. "Then I will leave you to speak in private with Isla. I will converse with Bear and gather more information about the crops that used to grow here."

You turn around within his encircling arms and give him a passionate kiss. A kiss you desired desperately since discovering the most dire outcome was true.

He drew back with a look of adoration on his face. "You know exactly how to make me into putty." He declared.

"It is a gift." You reply.

Before his departure, he kissed your hand. Once he was out of earshot, you let your tears roll and stare up at the beautiful life tree that, till now, was still fighting to survive for the sake of all of Jotunheim.

Your heart broke. You knew nothing could be done.

"Dearest Isla, you are so strong, but you are deteriorating, as evidenced by your petals that litter the ground."

You gather a handful of the greying petals, which lacked vibrant colour and vitality. The energy you felt when holding them was tainted with only misery.

She was in pain.

"I know now what hurts you, and I am so sorry, but I cannot defeat this creature that hides so deep within the soil... I am too late." You sob, knowing that at this instant, the kellite has likely dug so deeply that it has nearly reached the core.

You again reach out to touch her bark, wishing to alleviate some of her pain with your Gaia magic, but immediate upon contact with your hand, darkness flooded your mind. At first, it appeared to be the blackness of the soil below, but the appearance of bubbles before your eyes disclosed that this was actually a vision of watery depths.

You released your hand with a gasp, and looked towards the only full body of water that was nearby; the lake.

Upon closer inspection, you observed areas of thinner ice, evidence that it had been recently disturbed.

"It's in the lake.." You murmur, in disbelief.

If Isla's vision was true, then you believe the kellite was not excavating underground tunnels as previously assumed but rather lurking within the lake. You surmise that the icy water was likely hindering its efforts to burrow out of it.

Fresh feelings of hope renewed inside of you.

Isla's condition must have deteriorated as a result of her roots absorbing contaminated water. She was being poisoned as the kellite continued to syphon off her life force to stay warm, not because the creature had already breached the core.

You felt some relief. If the kellite was buried, it would be fatal for Jotunheim, but in the water, the likelihood of luring it with its preferred bait was probable.

You grinned wide, almost jumping for joy at this revelation. However, your fleeting relief turned to dread when you realised that you were the only bait capable of enticing it to the surface.

Your pulse began to accelerate as you stare attentively at the lake. You attempted to prevent your mind from imagining haunting thoughts, but just like the forced visions Isla planted into your mind, these vivid reels were impossible to stop. Now, for the second time, you saw yourself crashing through the ice, and sudden fear overwhelmed you.

Realisation dawned on you; your previous vision of you plummeting through the lake was not a fear-induced passing thought but rather a premonition of what was to come.

You had one last question to ask Isla, one that unnerved you to ask, but you needed to know. You had to.

With a strong push of will, you flattened your palm and placed it on her trunk, hesitantly whispering your question.

"Will the water be my demise?"

You sobbed, shedding tears as images of Loki flooded your thoughts. He was mourning. Grieving for you.

"I'm sorry, Loki." You collapse to your knees. "I am sorry that I have to break my promise."

Your hand slid down the tree's bark and landed in your lap, while your entire body sagged forward in misery.

As you wallowed in the knowledge that today was the day you meet your end, the loving faces of those who meant the world to you flickered across your mind.

Ovahh, Suri, Loki...

They must live.

"I am nothing more than a blip," you repeat to yourself. "I am but one life for the many saved."

Jotunheim has to live.

You clear away your tears and summon all of your determination.

"Thank you for holding on for this long, Isla. But I am here now, and I will help you." You touch the ground, sensing her roots, and force as much of your Gaia magic into her as possible, strengthening her protective shield against the kellite that is constantly attempting to drain her of her warmth and life.

"I will not let it permeate the core of Jotunheim. Keep fighting it Isla, and I will fight too."

You called out to Loki, and he swiftly approached, displaying his signature smile.

"Has she managed to talk with you, darling?"

Your heart cried as you realised for the first time that Loki always exhibited a jovial demeanour around you. He always greeted you with a tone of excitement, as if you had brightened his day. He did so despite being troubled by the problems of his realm, never showing you his gloom.

You fought back your emotion as you posed a question that had been plaguing your mind. His reply will confirm your theory as to how Caspian inserted the kellite into Jotunheim.

"Have you had a meteor storm recently?"

He gazed at you incredulously. "Very receptive darling. Yes. But it was not grave, the larger rocks burned up upon entering our atmosphere, and the smaller ones landed in the lake."

It was clear now how he'd enacted his evil plan. Caspian let the kellite loose during an expected meteor shower, knowing that depositing it into Jotunheim during a storm meant he could hide his deceit and none would be the wiser. But more importantly, no one would be able to prove it.

Your anger burned inside you as your hatred for Caspian grew.

The coward.

You turn your attention to Loki, who stood just in front of you. You absorbed his appearance, examining each little detail that you might have overlooked, and committed it to memory. You wanted him to be crystal clear in your consciousness for when you left this world.

But as you stared, the painful notion of no longer being with him engulfed you with doubts, and you had to quickly remind yourself of your objective.

Save Jotunheim.

"I'm feeling a bit cold, Loki. Can you get me another of my preferred cloaks? It's in the bag carried by Ovahh."

"Of course my love. Anything for you." He placed a soft kiss to your forehead and he began to move. But before he could depart, you grabbed his body and clung to him tightly, taking him by surprise.

He cuddled into you, delighted that you desired more affection.

"I love you, Loki. Always remember that I am forever with you." You place your palm flat against his heart. "I am with you in here... always."

Loki frowned as he stared into your eyes. But before he could intently scan behind them, you drew him back into a hug, and held onto him tight. He fought to resume his quizzing stare but you held him so strongly he couldn't separate from your arms.

"Just a little longer." You whisper while inhaling his scent, desperately wanting to remain in his arms for as long as possible.

"Darling, you're trembling. And now I am unsure if it is the cold or something else that makes you shiver."

You take a deep breath and put on your jovial mask, drawing back with a happy smile.

"It's the cold." You reassure. "But I will be warm as soon as I get my cloak."

"Then don't move, I will be right back with it soon enough."

He placed a kiss on your lips before walking away, and as you watched him make his way towards Ovahh, tears formed in your eyes.

"I love you, Loki." You whisper to yourself before burying your heartache in order to complete your purpose. 

You look down at the dagger you snatched from Loki's waist, and without hesitation, you sliced it across your hand, wincing at the piercing pain.

Your heated blood collided with the cold air and generated vapour as you walked towards the lake, leaving a trail of bright red pools within your footprints.

You pause at the water's edge and write on a scrap of paper, and as you do so, a soft murmur of your name was heard.

"Eden?"

You turn around to see Suri staring wide-eyed at your bleeding hand, her face exhibiting shock. 

"You're hurt, let me get help." She prepares to move, but your authoritative voice orders her to stop and listen.

"The consumer of lands resides in your lake, Suri, growing bigger as it draws the energy of the life tree. It is frantically attempting to burrow to Jotunheim's core right this second."

"We can help.. we can scour the lake.."

"It's too late! The water grows more infectious every minute. The toxicity that now permeates the entire lake will seep further inland. It will have reached the core well before the disease swallows the whole realm....and when the life tree dies, everything will perish."

"But Eden.."

"I am merely a blip among the masses. Jotunheim must live." You repeat.

Her eyes were now filled with grief upon realising your intention. "You are our queen, I cannot allow you to do this."

"And as your queen, I can order you not to stop me."

"Dont... please...."

"Do not stop me, Suri." You firmly commanded.

"Loki will not survive without you, Eden."

Suri's words cut deeply into your heart.

"I'm relying on you and Ovahh to be his light, guiding him from the darkness that will surely come. Will you do that for me?... Please." Your voice trembled as you choked back sobs, but you failed to stop your tears from falling as you envisioned the profound suffering Loki will endure.

She nodded, unable to speak, as she observed you folding and placing the small parchment into your pocket.

You offer her a smile before turning to face the lake. Then, with a deep breath, you entered the ice and began walking towards its centre.

You soon discovered a hole that allowed you to observe the depths of the water. You tread cautiously, knowing that the recent meteor strikes rendered the ice unstable. You extended your hand and clenched your fist, allowing your blood to trickle into the water.

"Find me, kellite. Come to the warmth that you crave, and seek me."

You soon sensed a presence in the waters beneath you as the ice began to gently sway.

It was coming.

The kellite that was no longer small, but plump; filled with the life it had already consumed. And yet, it was still seeking more, it's ravenous hunger insatiable.

You waited with bated breath for your tempting blood to sink deep enough to rouse the alien responsible for Fumi's demise. The monstrosity that was now in Jotunheim and seeking its next realm to destroy.

Furious that it wasn't yet showing its face, you stomped your feet in rage, hoping your vibrations would summon the creature that devours life to the surface.

"Come for me demon! Rise from your watery lair. You will find none more full of life than a Gaia, for I am the mother of nature!"

You clench your jaws and bite down on the pain as you extract more blood from your wound, turning the water red as it now gushes instead of trickles.

Instantly, the water rippled before your eyes, and you smirked. You knew only your blood could entice it; your heated blood, which was full of vibrant vitality, was so irresistible that the beast would risk exposing itself.

Once you have it affixed to your body, you will use your magic to hold it in place and hope that, with both of your deaths, the life tree will get stronger and begin to recover the land, preventing the disease's spread.

You only hoped that your resilience is enough to succeed.

Under the ice, a dark shadow materialised and began to circle you. You emitted an audible inhale upon witnessing its immense size, its form having grown larger than you.

You call to it, your alluring voice seducing it closer to the surface and soothing its trepidation of exposure.

Its head quickly discovered the gap in the ice and breached through the water, its nostrils widening to inhale the inviting aroma that you emit. It began to thrash violently, its appetite intensifying as it madly craved you.

Your pulse surged upon seeing it up close. This once dormant bug was no longer imprisoned in Alfheim behind an ice block. It was alive and writhing in the murky depths of the water. This eater of lands, this unyielding and unfeeling abomination, was loose.

However, even this soulless creature was not as diabolical as Caspian. For he sent this beast forth. Willing to enact genocide in secret, like the coward he was and like the monster he is.

"For Fumi, for Jotunheim!" You repeat, hearing the loud cracks of the ice giving way under you as the kellite continues to flail in desperation.

You turn towards the land, wishing your last memory to be of your friends and not the sloshing body of the kellite as it eagerly awaits the ice to break.

You catch a glimpse of Loki, standing next to Ovahh, just before your whole body plunges below the freezing waters. Instantly, your breath leaves your lungs as the icy cold shocks you.

*

"What was that sound?" Loki glanced at Ovahh.

Ovahh looked at him puzzled. "It sounded like ice breaking."

They both turned towards the lake and saw it still and silent. However, a sudden dread filled Loki and he instantly recognised the familiar feeling. He had felt it before when he left you alone in the carriage.

He dropped the furs and rushed towards the life tree, scouring around for you while frantically calling out your name.

"Eden!" He cried. "Where are you? Call to me!" His eyes painstakingly combed the area as he continued yelling. "Ovahh, search for her!"

In his distress, he ordered Ovahh, not realising that he was already searching the area with equal vigilance.

"Blood!" Loki gasped, noticing your blood trail. "Wolves? Could they have abducted her?"

Ovahh looked towards the nearby forest, but before both he and Loki hurried to investigate, they heard a timid voice from behind a tree.

Loki raced towards it eagerly, believing it to be you, but as he rounded the tree, he discovered it was only Suri, sitting in the snow with her knees cradled.

"Suri! Eden is missing, have you seen her?" He demanded urgently.

"Eden is Jotunheim's martyr." She spoke in a trance like state. In shock at witnessing your selfless act.

"What does that mean!" He screamed, terrified by what she had spoken.

Ovahh grasped and shook Suri's shoulders. "Where is Eden? What did you see?"

Her eyes were vacant and glassy as she sobbed. "She sacrificed herself to save us all, our queen, our saviour. She now resides in the lake."

Loki gazed towards the lake and noticed that the ice was now swaying as if movement was occurring below.

"Noo!" His agonising wail reverberated throughout the open lands, and he set off in a sprint.

Ovahh gripped Suri's face, forcing her to stare into his eyes, and commanded her to wake up from her stupor with an authoritative voice.

"Go Suri! Find your father and get help!"

He hurried to catch up to Loki, hoping that Suri had heard him and would return with aid.

Ovahh just managed to seize hold of Loki before he recklessly dove into the icy waters.

"No! You will die before you discover her location. The lake is vast. We'll locate her more quickly if we search the surface!"

Loki was unable to listen to reason as he wrestled to escape Ovahh's clutch.

"Be still!" Ovahh yelled, tightening his hold on his King and securing his position. "Feel for the vibration, then go towards it."

Loki loathed standing still, but he listened to Ovahh, since he knew the badlands survival strategies better than anyone else.

He closed his eyes, remained static, and employed all of his senses to listen and feel. Within a matter of seconds, his ears pricked up upon detecting a vibration emanating from the depths further away.

Loki snapped open his eyes and dashed forward, slipping on the ice as he stopped. His hands immediately rose high and crashed down, repeatedly impacting the ice until it ruptured and created a gaping hole.

He was relieved to see movement in the darkness below; a struggle indicated that you were still alive. He stood up and assumed his Asgardian form with the intention of pursuing you, but Ovahh swiftly informed him that this was a poor decision.

"You need your tougher exterior if you wish to survive long enough! We do not know what monster she contends with below."

"I cannot touch her in my Jotun form!" Loki replied in frustration.

"You have your warming magic. Do as you did for me, and use it to grab her."

Upon realising Ovahh was right, Loki quickly applied his Jotun form and hastily dove headfirst into the frigid waters. Right away, the sudden shock of the subzero temperatures disoriented his senses and his heartbeat slowed with each passing second he remained under.

He used his magic to illuminate the area as he scoured the dark depths, going deeper and deeper towards the indistinct form he saw near the bottom.

He noticed an evident creature curled around a mass, and it was only the strands of your hair floating in the water that alerted him to the fact that the mass was you.

He began urgently pulling on the slug-like animal in an attempt to free you. However, each time he unhooked the alien's body, the lake's vegetation wrapped around it and re-adhered it to your body to prevent its escape.

Loki realised that you were unconsciously using your Gaia abilities to summon the plants, confining the creature below in a bid to drown it.

He activated his warming magic and tore you away from the monster, retaining one hand on its limp body as he quickly attached his mouth to yours and breathed life into you.

You abruptly opened your eyes and, in a delirious state, unleashed a massive surge of magic, causing all the reeds below you to rise up and seize you and the creature, preventing Loki from swimming higher.

His eyes pleaded with you to halt your attempts to kill the creature and to release your magical holds, but you were on the verge of passing into the realm of the dead. The mortality that loomed over you impeded your senses.

Loki fought ferociously against the plants that had entangled themselves around you, as well as the creature that had now roused from its stupor.

His magic and oxygen were running low, and he knew he had only seconds to bring you to the surface before his Jotun skin began to burn yours, but the foliage you commanded continued to hold you down.

Loki suddenly felt another presence around him before your body was unexpectedly released from the plants that tethered you. When he peered below, he saw Ovahh hacking away all the weeds that were keeping him from swimming upward.

Now freed, Loki frantically swam and broke through the surface with a gasping breath, but he struggled to keep hold of both you and the squirming creature that was now dancing alive.

He knew that if he let go, it would descend back down and never be seen again, rendering your sacrifice for nothing. But he was unable to lift you and the creature, leaving him with a choice. Save you, or save Jotunheim.

He stared at your lifeless face, that was now a shade of deathly blue. You were his precious love. He couldn't lose you. Not you.

Just as he was about to release the creature and choose you, Bear came into view and dragged you from his body, pulling you out of the water.

Xanda hovered above Loki and offered his hand, rescuing him from the freezing waters.

"Kill it!" Loki ordered. Dropping the squirming creature onto the ice to focus solely on you.

Xanda rapidly pinned the creature to the ice with his enormous foot and unsheathed his massive machete. With a swift cut across its head, the kellite was slashed in half, releasing a torrent of black blood.

"She does not breathe!" Bear said in alarm. "And she has suffered frost bite on her arm."

Loki gazed at your wound, realising that his time had expired and that he had inadvertently burned you with his Jotun touch.

Guilt plagued him.

"Wake up!"

Loki was roused from his guilt ridden trance by Xanda's yelling. He instantly transformed back into his Asgardian persona and shook you, calling your name as tears flowed.

However, your lungs were already filled, having inhaled the infected water. He rapidly began thumping on your chest while repeatedly breathing into your mouth. Desperately attempting to bring you back to life.

"Please Eden, Don't die! Don't leave me!" He cried, pushing against your heart. "I refuse to be apart of a world where you no longer exist! Come back to me!" His heartache was felt by all the Docat's, who could only stand by and watch.

Ovahh finally crawled out of the water, exhausted, and watched in shock as Loki performed all he could on your lifeless body. He peered over you as he wept, his tears staining your body.

"Heal her, Loki! Do more!" Ovahh shouted in turmoil upon seeing Loki still his movements and hunch over your body.

"You promised me... you promised you'd never leave me." Loki broke down and cried uncontrollably, cradling you tightly. The pain of losing you penetrated every part of his being.

"No! She is not gone! Do not give up, Loki!" Ovahh pummelled the ice with his fists, floods of rage streaming down his cheeks.

Loki was so lost in his despair, that he surrendered to his hopelessness. He held you in his arms and traced his thumb along your lips, gazing at you adoringly. "I will meet you shortly, darling. Wait for me."

He conjured you into a magnificent dress, complete with your favourite cloak. On your finger was a ring—the band he had secretly crafted with the intention of presenting it to you on one knee, performing a formal proposal.

Ovahh's expression was one of shock and hurt. Right away he realised what Loki's words meant.

"You cannot abandon me! I refuse to lose you along with her!" He yelled, and in a maddening rage, Ovahh took hold of your arm, his Jotun skin now burning into your flesh. "Wake up! Wake up or else we all join you, Birdy!"

Loki observed your involuntary spasm in response to the pain and pushed Ovahh's arm away from your body. He resumed his hard, rapid thrusts on your chest, and with one more forced breath into your lungs, you inhaled gaspingly, spitting out the water that had flooded your airways.

He promptly cradled you in his arms, rocking your body with his as he sobbed.

He inspected your frail features and smoothed away the hair that had adhered to your skin while your large blue eyes gazed upwards.

"I thought I had lost you." He murmured. His tears falling onto your face.

Unable to speak and struggling to stay awake, you slowly raise your hand. Loki spotted the piece of parchment inside your balled fist and gently uncurled your fingertips to read the note.

He immediately stood up, maintaining his firm hold on you in his arms.

"Keep the remains of the creature. It must be used in conjunction with all the ingredients specified in this note. Eden has discovered a cure for the sick children." Loki handed Bear the list.

"And the infected waters?" Bear asked.

"Read the note. She has provided you clear instructions on how to purify it."

Bear's eyes welled up with emotion as he read your handwritten letter.

"Our queen has saved us." He murmured.

The Docats watched as Loki carried your frail body away, and Ovahh observed as Bear fell to his knees and began imploring with the gods for your complete recovery.

Every Docat present followed their leader's example, but before Suri began to prostrate, she beckoned Ovahh to join her.

Ovahh narrowed his eyes in anger.

"It was the cruelty of the gods that damned all of Jotunheim with this creature. I will pray to no one."

"Please, Ovahh, for Eden. Pray." Suri pleaded.

"Eden needs my action, not prayers that fall on deaf ears!" He scowled, gripping the two halves of the kellite in his large hands, and strutting to catch up to Loki.

Suri immediately rose to her feet and snatched the note from Bear's hand, scurrying closely behind Ovahh.

"You must pray, Suri!" Bear scorned.

As she walked away, she turned around to address him. "Actions father! While you beg the gods to retain her soul among the living, I will join Ovahh and follow Eden's instructions. But please, father, pray well and fervently. For we lose our king too, should our queen perish."