Stars of Freedom

Chapter 84: Frost

The three of them stood in front of a wooden door, runes around it. The rubble from the castle now covered in snow.

Kochev: You've never been to any other realms Volk, correct?

Volk: No.

Kochev: This'll be a life-changing experience then. You're going to be okay in there, Ava?

Ava: Yup. You know how our body works.

Volk: What does that mean?

Ava: Right, you weren't there. This body isn't human, think of it like a mannequin or a puppet.

Volk: Hmm, interesting.

Kochev: Let's not stick here too long, those things from before might be around Volk.

Volk: Right. How do we-

Kochev held his hand up to the door, a rune lit up on it as the door opened. An entirely different realm was just behind that wooden door. The surrounding area began to freeze up very quickly. Kochev closed both his hands and his body was covered in flames immediately.

Kochev: Hey Volk, don't be surprised by what happens next.

He said as he walked through the gateway. Ava followed behind Kochev, but not before smiling at Volk. He didn't really understand what Kochev meant but followed the two inside. An immediate cold surrounded him the moment he stepped through. He felt a shiver down his spine and his head felt just a bit heavier.

Kochev looked back at Volk, the flames no longer surrounding him. Ava looked back as well, not feeling any different at all. The gateway had closed behind them, the door still standing there. They stood inside a castle, it hadn't seen activity in some time but was still in pretty good shape.

Kochev: Oh, wow.

Ava: Didn't you tell him to not be surprised?

Kochev: Well, yeah, but I didn't expect this.

Volk: Uhh, expect what?

He scratched the back of his neck after having felt something brushing him there. He grabbed it carefully, it was his hair.

Volk: Is my hair longer?

Kochev: Not just that, bud. Here, let's find a mirror for you.

Volk: No, wait.

Volk took a phone out of his pocket, it was as stiff as a brick due to the cold.

Volk: Never mind, then.

Kochev: There should be one around here. Let's move.

They walked towards a door which led to a hallway.

Kochev: Uhh, this should be a bathroom... if I remember correctly.

He walked in front of the two and opened the door.

Kochev: Aha, here we go.

Volk walked inside the bathroom and saw himself in the mirror. He already hated the resemblance. The light from his yellow horns lit his now black hair up lightly. He noticed well his new attire, a skin-tight bodysuit covered by a jacket and black jeans. He now had more comfortable boots than before, so there were no complaints there. Not only that, but he looked at his ears closely. They were those of demons or elves, he couldn't distinguish that apart. His nails were sharper now as well.

Volk: Why aren't you different?

Kochev: Remember how I told you that I'm always shapeshifting?

Volk: Right. I'm going to assume you're also the same because of how your body is?

Ava: Yup, nothing new from me here. Let's get rolling, this is getting boring.

They began walking through the castle, and as they were doing so, he heard a familiar voice in the back of his head. He stopped in his tracks as he looked back. Ava and Kochev looked back at him when they noticed he had stopped.

Ava: You okay, V?

Volk took a second to process the moment, he felt something was off. The voice had told him to watch out beforehand. He summoned his armor and his shield, Ava proceeded to summon their sickles while Kochev stood on guard. Chains began to come up from the ground in the direction of where they had come from as the ground began shaking violently. The castle's walls began cracking and crumbling around them.

Team Frost began to run and as they were met with a wall, Volk took the lead and ran through it with his shield in front of him. Now outside, it was even colder. Volk's horns began to glow even more. The castle caved into itself as the group watched from outside.

"He's around here. On your guard, kid." the voice spoke in Volk's head.

Volk knew exactly who it was that was talking to him. For now, he looked around but saw nothing.

Volk: Hey Ko, can you scout from above?

Kochev: No can do kid. Not my sky, not my weather.

Volk: Hel says he's around here somewhere.

Ava: As in, ruler of this realm, Hel?

Kochev: Yeah. Forgot to mention that to you, Ava. That's her son right there.

Ava: What the fuck?

They heard clapping from behind them. There he stood, Mars, god of all wars.

Mars: Wow, what a gift you have brought me, Zamna. The key to this realm and my most prized experiment. You've really outdone yourself.

Kochev: Piss off.

Mars: Is that any way to treat an old friend? Right, you tend to betray your friends.

Kochev: Yeah, when my 'friends' get a little loose with their powers, I tend to set them straight.

Mars: Please, spare me the righteous bullshit. We're gods, these people are meant to serve and pray to us.

Kochev: 'These people' are as human as us. The Stranger didn't give you these powers for that. He gave us these powers to rebuild our civilization.

Mars: The Stranger is nothing but a fraud. If he was really that powerful, then why is he held captive in Asgard?

Volk: The Stranger?

Ava: Kochev, what is he talking about?

Kochev: I'll tell you once this is over... For now, trust me.

Ava: After last time?

Mars: Hey, if you're not here to hand these two over, then let's just skip this introductory bullshit and get on with it.

Mars summoned a spear and hit the bottom against the floor twice. An army of undead rose from the ground behind him in perfect formation.

Kochev: Pfft, guess you're such a fucking old dog that you don't learn any new tricks after all.

He pulled something from his back pocket and handed it over to Ava.

Kochev: Remember Little Miss Hurricane, Ava? Let's roll.

Ava smiled, their grin expressing pure joy and excitement for what was about to happen. The thing Ava held in her hand was an orb, the orb of a goddess. They squeezed it tightly in their hands. The winds began to get violent...