Hika stares at the tree, her gaze skeptical. How in the world are they going to climb this? They've followed the root all the way to the trunk of the tree, but now it's too high to walk on and the trunk itself is too thick to possibly grip on to. Jaak laughs at her face.

"It isn't as daunting as it might look, really. Come on."

Jaak takes a step towards the trunk, into empty space between the soil of Asgard and the wood of the world-tree. Hika gasps, afraid that Jaak will plummet down through the spaces between the realms and the tree.

But instead of falling, a thin sheet of wood shoots out to stand between his foot and the open air. Jaak takes another step, downward along the trunk. Another step forms, just wide enough for his foot. He turns back to Hika, a reassuring smile on his face.

"See? It's alright. Come on."

Hika takes a hesitant step forward, trembling. The wooden step forms beneath her foot, dipping slightly at her weight. It feels thin, but strong enough to hold her weight. Even so, Hika kindles a star and rolls it from hand to hand to distract herself. They pass through the close green layers of three of the worlds, then they spiral down and down the trunk for a long time.

When they next reach a world, Hika instantly knows which one it is. Earth, familiar to her as her own breath. They're still somewhere in Norway, but not the same place they entered Asgard through. Jaak keeps leading Hika down and down the tree.

They pass another green land next, a land of twilight darkness. The skies are gray but it doesn't feel unpleasant. Calming, rather. It's a soothing darkness. She almost wants to stop there and rest, and she even moves to take a step towards it. Jaak tugs on her arm and pulls her back.

"I know what you want, but we don't have time to stop with the Svartalfelves. We need to keep going."

Hika sighs and tears her eyes from the world of the Svartalfelves, forcing herself to keep following Jaak around the world-tree's massive trunk. Just on the other side of it is a world of frost, cold winds whipping out to brush against Hika's face. She shivers involuntarily, but she finds that she isn't cold.

It's just a reflex, the touch of this world on her skin is cool but not cold. She feels comfortable, as if she could stand in this chill wind for hours upon end and be the same as she was in the beginning. Jaak reaches back to softly touch her arm.

"We've reached Jotunheim. Are you alright?"

Hika nods, frowning. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Jaak hesitates. "Because . . . Jotunheim is a cold land. You're fire. Aren't you freezing?"

Hika shakes her head, grinning. "I feel fine!"

She moves to push past Jaak but he stops her, running his hands down the bare skin of her arms. She has warmer clothing, but it's hanging over her waist currently. She's too warm to be wearing it. Jaak frowns.

"You're warm."

His hand brushes against one of the moonstone bracelets and he jerks back in shock. "The bracelets are freezing. It must be protecting you from the temperatures."

Hika shrugs. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Jaak laughs. "Yes, it is."

He continues walking, the wooden platforms of the tree melting into the snowy ground of Jotunheim. Hika follows him, feeling the snow crunch noisily beneath her boots. As they move away from the world-tree, the snow grows quieter and more powdery. Hika bends to scoop up a pile of it before Jaak can see. She packs it into a ball and surreptitiously hides it in her hand. She has to hide a laugh, but a snippet of it breaks through. Jaak looks back at her curiously.

"Did you say something?"

Hika shakes her head, glad that her darker skin partially hides her blush. Jaak looks forward again and Hika moves to stand just behind him. Jaak doesn't react to this and she grins, reaching up to drop her ball of snow down the back of his neck. Jaak whirls to grab onto Hika's hand, freezing her in place. He eyes the snowball then looks to Hika, his eyes glittering.

"Did you really think that would work?"

"Ummm, yes?"

Jaak laughs. "Nice try, but no."

Hika sighs and opens her hand, dropping the snowball to the ground. It bursts into white powder once more and Jaak releases Hika's arm. She's tempted to scoop up another handful of snow, but she feels like Jaak would stop her. So she instead resigns herself to following Jaak through the wintery land.

Every so often they pass people, just a bit taller than the average human. Some have slightly blue-tinged skin, like someone in the beginning stages of frostbite. Others are just snow-pale like Skadi, Jaak, and Loki. Hika shudders at the thought of Loki and steers her mind away from it.

One of Jotunheim's inhabitants waves at Jaak, his golden hair tinted red. Jaak waves back, a broad grin on his face. He says something in an unfamiliar language to the man. It takes a moment for Hika to figure out the meaning, she's learned so many languages so she can speak with all the pantheons that sometimes they get mixed up in her head. She manages to catch the end of the sentence.

"To Mimir's well?"

The man points at a slightly diagonal angle and Jaak nods. "Thank you."

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Kanahā kūmāhā = forty-four, when counting

What do you think of my depiction of the people of Jotunheim? What of my depiction of Jotunheim itself? What do you think they'll find at Mimir's well? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out