Deal

Sitting on the cold floor, chained in darkness as black as night, the hunter wearily watched as his self-proclaimed mistress diligently polished her nails, paying no attention to anything else. Haemon, his crimson eye twitching in irritation, felt nauseated by the endless screams of the unfortunate souls who had met their fleeting demise in this wretched place. Though the Olympian was no stranger to such scenes, the beast within him couldn't rest, tormented by the eternal whining and begging for mercy from these pitiful weaklings.

"If you have something to say, little dog, speak up! I'm all ears," commanded Hel softly, crossing one foot over the other. "This place reeks of decay and age. The darkness is tiresome. Shall we move on to torture or something else?" Haemon sighed heavily, stretching his neck in frustration. "Hey, don't blame me that my afterlife is worse than your father's! Not everyone gets the Elysian Fields with their beautiful green meadows and adorable creatures. Oh, what a blessing!" Hel fake-smiled, clapping her hands before rising from her throne and approaching the hunter with a swift motion. She thrust a file into his eye, and Haemon flinched slightly, hissing in a cold tone, "It hurts."

"I'm ready to tear you apart right now," purred the queen of the dead excitedly, pulling the file out of the warrior's eye. "What do you have in mind for me, queen of the dead?" asked the madman, restoring his damaged eye. The queen grinned widely, examining her new plaything, and then, touching her bloodied cheek, she replied, "I intend to make you my king, little bear cub!" Her words sent a shiver down the Olympian's spine, and every fiber of his being screamed at him to flee as fast as possible. "Do we have a deal? You provide me with victory over Thor, and in return..." He didn't have a chance to finish as the queen interrupted him with her maniacal laughter. "Ha-ha, just look at you! So big and fierce, yet blushing like a beetroot at the mere mention of a wedding. Ha-ha, you're so cute, little bunny. Oh, I fear my rotten heart may not withstand such an influx of love!" The queen's eyes burned with a mad fire of passion, and her half-dead body trembled with convulsions. And then, with a swift motion, she tore her own heart out of her chest, an organ soaked in the putrid mixture of decay and blood. Even the stones of Helheim couldn't withstand its power, causing the ground beneath the queen's feet to crack.

Haemon watched in silence, his mind struggling to comprehend the unfolding spectacle. He had never encountered anything like this before. Rarely did creatures desire to harm themselves, except perhaps the Olympian himself. He often succumbed to mad impulses, tearing himself apart to satisfy his insatiable carnal hunger. And in witnessing this horrifying act before him, he realized that Hel was a kindred soul—someone just as maimed as he was. A strange sensation washed over his mind, a mix of hunger and thirst. It was not a sweet or holy feeling, but rather a twisted craving. In his place, any other person would have felt pity for the queen, but not him. The dormant beast within him finally awakened, seizing control of its master's mind. Black veins snaked across the warrior's body, and his muscles bulged and grew stronger. His razor-sharp claws gouged into his own flesh, staining the black stone beneath them crimson. Blood flowed from his eyes, and his face contorted into a truly horrifying visage.

"Yes, yes!" Hel ecstatically exclaimed, witnessing the devilish transformation of her pet. "You will inflict pain upon me, Olympian! Pain that no one else could ever deliver! I implore you, tear my flesh apart, and make me yours forever!" Closing her fingers into a tight fist, the queen commanded the chains to tighten their grip, intending to crush the hunter's bones. Haemon let out a ferocious roar, defying the foreign power of the underworld. And it became apparent that the green fire engulfing the rusty black chains did not burn as fiercely as his own inner fire. However, something was amiss with this fire—it clung to its victim like a parasitic entity, slowly draining his strength. The Olympian failed to notice this in time, as the queen meticulously and gradually sipped from the cup of his vitality. Black flames erupted from the warrior's mouth, aimed directly at the queen, but with feline grace, she evaded the fiery onslaught. Then, with a wave of her hand, she summoned numerous icy spikes that impaled Haemon's body. Infused with insane rage, he yearned to taste even a single drop of her blood, thirsting for it with every fiber of his being. But the vile mistress simply derided him, her cries of euphoria mingling with lascivious movements that demanded retribution.

With a primal roar, Haemon rose from his knees, shattering the chains that bound him, and lunged at the queen like a ferocious tiger. Yet, she remained calm, a serene smile gracing her lips, as she stood before him with her arms wide open, waiting. Just as his black claws were about to pierce her flesh, she simply vanished, dissipating into thin air. Haemon swiftly scanned his surroundings, searching for his prey, but all he found were the deceased. Draugr warriors who had not met a heroic end and were denied a place by Odin's side. Souls trapped in decaying shells, seething with anger at the unjust fate that befell them. Without hesitation, the dead descended upon the warrior, seeking vengeance for their suffering. Haemon, undeterred, let out a mighty roar and charged, cutting down the fallen heroes. To a barbarian like him, these undead, though stronger than anything he had faced in his father's realm, posed no true threat. They crumbled like mere dolls beneath the weight of his blows, consumed by his ravenous black flame.

"Be cautious, my little bear. I wouldn't want our wedding to be held amidst ruins!" Hel playfully cautioned, hovering weightlessly above the ground. She observed with utmost delight as her new plaything dispatched her old playthings. It mattered little to her that these half-dead creatures still experienced pain and suffering. For someone like Hel, everything was a mere game. There was no toy she couldn't replace, no beast she couldn't tame.

"Now, I'm rather curious to see what happens if I do this!" The queen clapped her hands, and a portal materialized beneath the barbarian's feet, swallowing him whole. Haemon and his prospective bride emerged beside a colossal, chained dog. It was none other than Garm, the hound of the underworld, destined to devour Freya. Haemon attempted to strike at the queen once more, but she effortlessly evaded him, just as she had before. Simultaneously, she tossed her own heart to the awaiting hound. Garm devoured the heart in an instant, and with a mighty swipe of his massive paw, he sent the warrior hurtling toward the nearest mountain. "If you wish to win my heart, brave skald, you must first face this terrifying beast!" Hel tenderly and tearfully proclaimed, pointing her finger toward her loyal companion.

Fiercely roaring, the Olympian tore his back apart, unleashing his only wing to the outside world. Half of his body was engulfed in black flames, creating a grotesque image as he simultaneously healed himself and annihilated. Charred bones would appear and disappear, concealed beneath layers of seared flesh. Soaring high into the sky, Haemon immediately went on the offensive. Numerous black snakes of various sizes emerged from his body, lunging at the dog, hoping to pierce through its thick hide. But it was futile; not even the sharpest fangs could penetrate his skin. The aura of death emanating from the hound tore the smaller snakes to pieces, not giving them a chance to approach. However, Haemon's offspring didn't dare consider retreat; with their blind devotion, they continued to bite and strangle the dog.

Attempts to coil around the beast also proved unsuccessful, as its body simply froze the snakes, turning them into statues. The Olympian, like his children, relentlessly launched attacks, completely blinded by rage. From his blood, flesh, and bones, he created two blades and fused them with his own hands. The warrior struck lightning-fast blows, constantly evading the monstrous attacks of the hound. Icy spikes tore through the barbarian's flesh, seeking to turn him into a block of ice, but the all-consuming fire prevented it, refusing to let the warrior freeze completely. And in a moment when he was about to pierce the creature's eye, his body suddenly became engulfed in heat and trembling. Black putrid blood flowed from his mouth, ears, and eyes. The warrior's body simply couldn't withstand the strain and began to give way gradually.

It still hadn't fully recovered from the incident at the farewell celebration. And let's not forget the foolish act he committed, biting off more than he could chew. And now he was forced to engage in an uneven battle once again. Everything was against him, just like in his first real fight. This wasn't Tartarus, so the creatures here were capable of showcasing their full potential, unlike Haemon. Therefore, he would have to push his boundaries once again to avoid perishing.

Missing his mark, he hit the brow, greatly infuriating the creature. It sprouted numerous spikes all over its body, piercing each of Haemon's children and even himself in addition to them. And at that very moment, when his body weakened like never before, a previously unseen serpent emerged from his blood and flesh. The colossal red creation was comparable in size to the hound. The Olympian's new creation was truly something grandiose, as the serpent not only matched the hound in size but also in strength. The blood-red creature with enormous horns on its head resembled more of a dragon than a snake.

The newborn being unleashed a huge stream of black flames mixed with toxic red venom. Such a devastating attack immediately forced the hound to attempt a retreat, but it was already too late. The monstrous assault hit the dog, ripping its flesh along with its thick hide, finally giving the Olympian the opportunity to deliver a decisive blow. The crimson blades pierced the guardian's belly and then, with a lightning-fast motion, released all of its innards. The surroundings and the Olympian were splattered in a bright green color.

"I see you're having fun," a female voice addressed Hel with a hint of disapproval. "Oh, dear mother! When did you manage to return from Vanaheim?" Turning around, Hael met the irritated gaze of her mother, Angroboda. The witch, of extraordinary stature, had hair as red as the flames of Muspelheim. "I returned just in time to put a stop to this madness! Your foolish, whimsical idea of forming an alliance with this creature," Angroboda clicked her tongue and tightened her grip on her staff. She looked at the Olympian, who was digging through the hound's entrails in search of its heart, with disgust.

"Oh, but mother, I love him! How can you have such a biased opinion about him without even knowing him? Perhaps he is the kindest and most vulnerable soul in the entire world!" the queen dramatically declared, clutching her chest with one hand and her forehead with the other. "And he's your fiancé! He's nothing more than a mindless beast!" the witch yelled, unable to tolerate her daughter's mockery. "Olympians, like a plague, destroy everything that is dear to you! Leaving behind only madness and sorrow. They are the worst among all the lords; even the Aesir have more honor than them!" The red-haired witch pointed at Haemon with malice.

"You speak the truth; they are indeed not the most virtuous. But they possess immense power compared to other families. The mere mention of Hades, Zeus, or Poseidon sends shivers down everyone's spine, ready to bow down in reverence. Haven't you ever desired to stand among the victors, if only for once? Aren't you tired of enduring the tyranny of the one-eyed old man sitting in his golden castle? Answer honestly, mother. Don't you, deep in your dark soul, yearn to liberate my father from his captivity?" Hel's voice turned cold and emotionless, mirroring her own realm.

"Don't defy me, girl!" The witch slapped her daughter. "Ha-ha, I'm afraid you should be more cautious next time. After all, I hold the upper hand now..." The queen smiled, gently caressing her slightly swollen belly. "No! It's impossible, you can't be carrying a child!" Angroboda widened her eyes in shock and disbelief as she approached her daughter, trembling hands touching her stomach. "I haven't even married yet, and I've already been blessed with such a remarkable gift from my future in-laws," Hel revealed, a broad smile adorning her face. She tenderly stroked her belly, a tinge of madness in her expression. "Whom have you associated with? Who has bestowed upon you such a repugnant gift?" The mother of three monsters exuded a terrifying aura, causing even the realm of the dead to tremble. "Ha-ha, sorry, mommy, I can't reveal that. But I will say this: this person was incredibly powerful, not inferior in strength even to Surtur himself." In response to her mother's actions, Hel unleashed her own formidable aura.

The clash between the two opposing forces created numerous fractures in the very fabric of space. The battle between mother and daughter threatened to shake Yggdrasil itself. It was only the intervention of the Olympian that diverted their attention. "Hey, ladies, if you don't mind, could you come down here? We need to discuss something," Haemon spoke with a voice laden with exhaustion. He breathed heavily, barely managing to stand on his feet, swaying precariously.

The mother and daughter exchanged nods, momentarily ceasing their battle of gazes, and descended from the heavens to meet the Olympian. "I see you didn't hesitate to harm my dog," the queen calmly remarked upon witnessing the state of Garms. "Oh, my apologies, I didn't even consider that," the warrior retorted with a touch of venom, then tossed the blackened heart at Hel's feet. Disappointed, the queen clicked her tongue and retrieved her own black heart from the ground. Reinserting the organ into her body, she put on a forced smile and introduced Haemon to her mother. "And now you are acquainted, hooray, what a joy. Ha-ha, perhaps we can begin organizing the wedding as swiftly as possible?" Hel impatiently inquired, tapping her foot on the obsidian stone.

"Do as you wish, just don't involve me," Angroboda coldly replied, calmly combing her hair. "I'm afraid that's impossible," the Olympian added, settling himself on the cold floor. "Darling, we have an agreement, and that means you must marry me!" Hel menacingly reminded him, a devilish smile playing on her lips. Long black claws sprouted from her hands, and her eyes glowed with green flames. "Yes, we do have an agreement, but I never agreed to a wedding. I agreed to be your servant for a time, but not your husband. And in return, you promised me victory over Thor. But the giant lover is more lively than anyone alive," the barbarian logically reminded her, raising his hand in protest. "Being a husband-slave is essentially the same thing," the queen hissed, rolling her eyes.

"And as for Thor, you don't have to worry about him. One of my brothers will slay that oaf during Ragnarok anyway. So, in essence, I've fulfilled my part of the deal," Hel explained, placing her hand on her chest. "That won't suffice," the Olympian calmly declared. A vein on the queen's forehead bulged in response. "Ha-ha, it seems you're crossing every boundary, Olympian. Is arrogance reaching even a barbarian like you?" the red-haired witch curiously inquired. "Perhaps, but I strive to differentiate myself slightly from my relatives. Hence, I propose a new arrangement," Haemon said calmly, scratching his temple. Angroboda and Hel exchanged surprised glances, and then the realm of the dead resounded with their mad laughter.

"Don't take offense, darling, but isn't this going a bit too far?" the mistress of the dead remarked, covering her smirk with her hand. "Let me guess, you'll receive our assistance and so on, while we won't gain anything, hmm? Am I correct?" The witch grinned, observing the warrior stroke his beard. "No, you will receive an equal exchange. I will marry your daughter and bestow upon her the throne of the First Circle of Fire," Haemon said, pausing for a moment. He closed his eyes, carefully weighing each word, while his mind listened attentively to an invisible advisor. It guided him to the realization that they truly needed the witches. "But in return, I demand the essence of Ymir," his words, like icy water, crashed upon the two women, leaving them staring at him in disbelief.

"How do you know about the essence?!" Angroboda asked, her trembling lips tightly gripping her staff, causing it to crack. "Even the old man doesn't know!" Hel added in a whisper, conjuring an icy blade in her hand. "And as a wedding gift, I present you with the head of Heimdall," he said cheerfully, slowly approaching the two giantesses. "You're quite confident in yourself, Olympian. Hmm, your pride has blinded your reason. Ha-ha, how can we be sure that you won't betray us?" Angroboda twisted her temple and spat at the Olympian's feet. The barbarian simply smiled and replied, "I will swear on my ancestors, and you will swear on yours. And thus, we will all be bound to fulfill the terms of the agreement, or else..." He didn't finish his sentence before the witch interrupted him: "We will be erased from existence."

"We agree," both witches sighed heavily and exchanged nods, accepting the Olympian's proposal. "May Chaos consume my enemies and even myself if I betray," Haemon declared, carving a serpent seal onto his body to symbolize his oath. "May Father Ymir forsake me if I deceive," Angroboda and Hel impaled each other's hands with an icy spike, blending their blood together and sealing their commitment to the alliance.

And so, on that fateful day, a momentous alliance was forged, giving rise to a new and formidable family known as the "Crimson Garden of the Outcast." This union would sow the seeds of cosmic upheaval, forever altering the destiny of the realms and leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of existence.