This planet was enormous, far larger than the sun itself. Upon the tree’s vast branches lay several distinct regions known as realms or worlds. Each was connected to the others by bridges called Bifr?st, radiant arcs of light that shimmered like rainbows. These bridges were guarded by a single god—Heimdall.
The realms of this cosmic world were as follows:
- Asgard – The principal realm of Yggdrasil, situated at the very top of the great tree. Here stood the magnificent Palace of Valhalla, where Odin ruled. The gods born in this world were known as the ?sir. It was a land of vast gardens and mountains, forever veiled in a soft mist like that of high peaks above the clouds.
- Vanaheim – To the right of Asgard lay this kingdom of endless gardens filled with flowers and fruit-bearing trees, along with immense forests of sacred beauty. The gods who resided there were called the Vanir, ruled by the goddess Freyja, whose palace was known as Fólkvangr.
- álfheimr – To the left of Asgard spread this immense realm of forests and cliffs overlooking torrents of rivers. The skies of álfheimr were never dark; auroras danced day and night across the heavens. This was the land of the light elves, who served as ruah—divine soldiers—in Odin’s army. It was ruled by Freyr, god of light.
- Midgard – Below the three upper realms stretched a massive gate that allowed the gods to descend to Earth. This portal had been constructed from the skull of the giant Ymir, and around it stood four dwarven statues pointing toward each cardinal direction. The path was paved with runic pillars carved into great stones. Within the skull’s interior, a magic circle served as the anchor point where Bifr?st connected the divine planet to the mortal world. Here also dwelled the deities Sól and Máni, who guided the sun and moon.
- Jotunheimr – To the left of Midgard rose an enormous expanse of mountains, valleys, and frozen lakes. This was the realm of the J?tnar, the giants. Its capital, Utgard, was ruled by Mimir, a former ?sir whose decapitated head still governed with wisdom. At its center was the greatest treasure of Yggdrasil—the Well of Wisdom. Only a few had ever drunk from its waters. Odin himself had to hang from Yggdrasil for nine days to earn that right; it required immense ichor to survive such a feat.
- Nidavellir – To the right of Midgard stretched another mountainous realm, though denser and darker than Jotunheimr. Its inhabitants, the dwarves, lived within caverns carved into the very bones of the mountains, mining endless veins of ore and forging weapons of divine craftsmanship.
- Svartalfheim – Beneath the great tree, to the lower left, spread this shadowed kingdom cloaked in mist and darkness. It was home to the dark elves, who had raised countless stone monoliths across their primitive lands. Like their luminous kin, they served Odin’s armies as ruah, though their loyalty was far less steadfast.
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- Muspelheim – To the right of Svartalfheim burned a realm of fire and magma beneath the roots of Yggdrasil. This was the domain of the fire giants, commanded by the mighty J?tunn Surtr, one of Loki’s generals.
- Niflheim – At the deepest roots of Yggdrasil lay a frozen gate of ice. Before it coiled the monstrous dragon Nidh?gg, guardian of the underworld. The entire region was shrouded in fog and ice, and its seas were treacherous to navigate. Beyond the gate lay Hel, a grim kingdom ruled by Loki’s daughter of the same name, where murderers and criminals suffered eternal punishment. In truth, Hel existed within a dimension known as Sheol, a place where the underworlds of countless pantheons intertwined.
This complex world was home to the Norse pantheon. But because of the growing crisis within the divine Scandinavian realms, the Bifr?st bridge that linked Midgard to Denmark had been sealed. Only Heimdall possessed the authority to open or close it.
Thor stood upon the gleaming terraces of Asgard, deep in thought.
“Should I go to Earth myself?” he muttered. “It would mean defying Father’s orders—but at least I’d make sure Loki was captured. And if I have to face those bastards from Lel in the process, so be it.”
He paced the marble floor restlessly.
“But that dog Heimdall would never let me through without Father’s permission. How could I deceive him? For all I know, he’s already heard me thinking it—his ears are that damned sharp.”
Thor clenched his fists. “No. I have to find Father, no matter what.”
He stormed back toward the throne room. To his surprise, the Valkyries who guarded it were gone. Instead, a tall, pale figure stood before the golden doors—Heimdall himself—resting both hands upon the hilt of a sword planted firmly in the ground.
“Yes, Thor,” said the god, his voice like a calm echo through the hall. “I heard what you were planning. That’s why I dismissed the Valkyries—and placed myself between you and our Father’s chamber.”
Heimdall’s skin was white as snow, his hair a silvery brown, almost colorless. Only his violet eyes and golden teeth broke the ghostly pallor of his form. Upon his head gleamed a golden helm adorned with the figure of a rooster. His long blue cloak, feathered red and black at the edges, flowed like shadowed silk.
“To raise your hand against the Valkyries would be an offense to our Father, Thor,” he said, his tone devoid of emotion.
“Then tell me, with those perfect ears of yours—is my father behind that door?” Thor demanded.
“I do not know,” Heimdall replied. “There are several dimensional walls behind it. Even my hearing cannot pierce them.”
“And you don’t find that suspicious?” Thor pressed.
“Perhaps,” Heimdall said flatly. “But my duty is to protect this hall. The only way through that door is over my dead body. Would you defy our Father for the sake of a wretch trying to make himself important on Earth?”
Thor took his stance, electricity crackling faintly around him.
“Ful-kompna v?rn,” said Heimdall, his body beginning to gleam.
“As you know, Thor,” the pale god continued, “my technique, Ful-kompna v?rn—the Perfect Defense—allows me to perceive any attack and stop it before it lands. You will not take a single step forward without being destroyed by my countershock. If you wish to die, proceed.”
His skin hardened to a metallic sheen, like living platinum.
Thor exhaled, his anger simmering beneath restraint. “It’s late. I’ll go see my wife and children.”
“A wise choice,” Heimdall said as the light faded from his form.
But as Thor turned away, his mind burned with certainty.
No… something—or someone—is behind that door. And it’s not my father.