The Hall of Doors
Day 1 - Night
The jedi knight asked a follow-up question, to which Vaga cocked his head.
"Why, that's where you just came from. A conjunction of worlds through some sort of external force... and that would be all I know about the subject myself." After assuring the heroes some more, Vaga left. Fjorm frowned, taking a moment to think.
"Nexus... My sister mentioned something of that name. Some powerful force she had detected. It was another thing she was trying to learn about in this world." Fjorm said.
With Vaga gone and the doors to the other worlds safetly sealed, the Heroes from Other Worlds were able to take there rest. Some meditated. Others reflected on what they had left behind, and what was to come. Yet others spoke in hushed conversation. One by one, they drifted into slumber...
Hall of Doors
Day 2 - Morning
"Goood mornin'! Good mornin'! We've talked the whole night through, good mornin', good mornin' to you~!" A tune came softly over an old radio from the pile of clutter. The streetlamps scattered around the island began to flick off, one by one, as the gray clouds brightened. Fjorm slowly came awake. The night of rest away from the tortures of Loki and Fakemon had rejuvenated the princess, and she faced the day with renewed vigor. After a quick breakfast of rations, the Mashers exited the Hall of Doors, back to the lands of Nifspell. Their mission was simple, yet a difficult one. Locate Princess Gunnthrá, somewhere in the northern mountains. A mission easier said than done. The Heroes traveled to the north, on guard for any Muspell forces hunting them. Despite their pace, the mountains seemed just as distant as ever before. On the horizon, signs of smoke could be seen. Were these more Muspell troops? Or something else?
Semperviren Forest
~Bandit Camp~
Day 2 - Noon
In the forest, a group of bandits huddled around a fire. Their camp was a small one, comprised of a variety of tents and temporary structure.
"Dammit, where the hell is Migal?" One of the bandits grumbled, shivering and moving closer to the fire. "He was supposed to be back an hour ago."
"Maybe that red gremlin got 'im." Another said.
"Serves him right, if thats the case-"
The thugs were interrupted by the rustling of leaves. Another bandit stomped out of the underbrush, ax in hand. He grinned to the group.
"Jackpot, boys!" He announced. "I told you following after that brat would pay off. A pair of towns, right over the river and ripe for the picking! I'm gonna tell the boss!"
The bandit walked over to the central tent, but when he tried to enter, a wall of pink energy appeared and stopped him. He frowned, tapped it with his ax, and looked back to the other bandits in confusion. The others scowled, and the first one shook his head.
"Newbie.
She's in there with him."
"Good morning, Howard~"
The bandit leader grumbled, then awoke with a start. He was a man in his 30's, tall and fit, with blond hair. He jumped up in bed, drawing a pistol from under his pillow and staring at the woman that appeared before sighing and shaking his head.
"Damn it, Loki. Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" The man growled. He put on his leather bomber jacket and put the pistol in his waistband behind his back. "And it's Keith."
"Is that any way to greet a friend, Howard? And someone who is about to make you very, very rich." Loki said. Keith scowled, putting on his American Flag bandana.
"There is a certain group of pesky heroes coming through this area that have earned the ire of Lord Surtur." Loki said.
"Who hasn't? The man isn't exactly a sweetheart." Keith said. The sorceress laughed, walking across the tent towards Keith.
"If you kill them before Princess Laevatein reaches them, I shall
personally see to your reward." Loki said. She extended her hand, and in a glowing flash of light a deck of cards appeared. The cards were different, the fronts difficult to see, and the back a simple black dot on a brown background. "Riches. Powerful monsters, to vanquish and embarrass your nemesis with. And a continuation of Muspell's blind eye to the raiding and pillaging of your little gang."
Now it was Keith's turn to chuckle. The man opened the chest next to his bed, pulling out a circular metal device. He slid the device onto his arm, and placed a deck of those cards within it.
"You had me at powerful monsters, crazy woman. With the powers from this world, annihilating those dweebs will be a piece of cake."
Bandit Keith takes the offense!
Semperviren Forest
"Whew. I think we can stop here for a moment." Fjorm said. The group reached the top of a small hill, allowing them to look over the remainder of the forest. North of them, a pair of smoke plumes could be seen. But it was not the harsh, black smoke of the Muspell troops. Rather, it was the soft, grey smoke of multiple hearths. In the distance, to the northeast and northwest a pair of villages could be spotted as the source of the smoke. Beyond the villages lay more forest, but by now the heroes could see the end of it. Past the end of the forest, a snowy plain could be seen. One littered with large spikes of ice that were from the ground. And beyond that, the northern mountains lay, ever distant. Fjorm looked back to the group.
"How is everyone holding up?" She asked the others.
