Chapter Thirty-Two Mist

“B ALDR!” I cried, crawling through the snow on my hands and knees until I was at my mate’s side. “Baldr! Please! Say something!”

I grabbed his hand, patted his cheek, anything I could think of to get him to wake. But he didn’t respond. I tried reaching out with my mind, attempting to connect with him through our bond. Instead, I found it dark and cold, like there was nothing there at all.

“No…” I whispered, my hand on his cheek. “No, no, no! Baldr!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, shaking his shoulders to try to get him to wake up. “Baldr! You can’t do this to me! I need you!” I collapsed forward onto his unmoving chest. “I… I love you…”

I laid there sobbing, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably. My gut twisted into hard knots, trying to tear itself to pieces with grief. Blood pounded in my ears and I found myself hoping my heart would give out just so I didn’t have to live another moment with the love of my life. However, it was laughter that finally pulled me out of my insurmountable panic. Laughter that was cold and cruel.

“Well, I didn’t expect that,” Tyr grinned, dropping his hand back to his side. “He just came out of nowhere, didn’t he?”

I whirled around, my grief instantly morphing into rage. “You,” I snarled, baring my teeth at the Alpha wolf who stood before me without fear. “What have you done?!”

Tyr's grin only widened, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement. “Oh, I merely removed an obstacle. You see, my dear witch, Baldr was in the way of my plans. And now...” He gestured to the lifeless form of my beloved. “He's not. Let’s call it a happy accident, shall we?”

I rose to my feet, my body trembling with fury. The snow around me began to melt as heat and magic radiated from my skin. “You will pay for this,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “You will pay for this!”

Tyr laughed again, the sound grating against my ears. “And who will make me pay? You? A pathetic orphan that can’t even control his power?” He took a step closer, his massive frame towering over me. “You are nothing to me.”

“Orphan?” I asked, caught off guard by his words. “I thought you said my parents were still looking for me?”

A cruel grin curled over his fangs. “Oops.”

“You… bastard…”

“I couldn’t very well have them come looking for you, could I? Not when you and I had so much work to do.”

“You fucking BASTARD!”

“Mist!” Loki called behind me. “Don’t give into him!”

But his warning came too late. The deep well of magic inside me that I’d been damming up for all those years burst in and instant, pierced by the harsh grief that threatened to consume me. Dark blue crackling power filled the air around me, the snow melting instantly. I spread my arms wide as the magic gathered around my limbs. My eyes burned as I stared at Tyr, tears like fire running down my cheeks. But it wasn’t until I saw my reflection in his fearful eyes that I realized my eyes were no longer green, but bright white like lightning. Slowly I felt my body become weightless, and I lifted off the ground. Bolts of magic shot off me like electricity, striking everything nearby including Tyr, Loki, Heimdall, and the sodium lamp that exploded in a burst of sparks.

I heard everyone cry out, but their pain didn’t register. My grief was too much to bear. I’d lost my childhood, my memories, a family I didn’t even know, and now my mate who I’d loved for nearly a decade. There was nothing left in the world I cared about. And as the magic threatened to consume me, I gave into it. I was going to join Baldr, and I was taking Tyr with me, no matter the cost.

The magic surged through me, a torrent of raw power that threatened to tear me apart. I could feel it pulsing beneath my skin, crackling in the air around me. My vision blurred, the world becoming a haze of blue light and swirling snow. Tyr's eyes widened in fear as he realized the magnitude of what he had unleashed.

“Mistilteinn, stop!” Loki's voice barely penetrated the roar in my ears. “You'll destroy everything!”

But I didn't care. Let it all burn. Let the world crumble to ashes. Nothing mattered anymore.

I focused my gaze on Tyr, who had stumbled back, his eyes wide with fear. Good. Let him be afraid. Let him feel a fraction of the pain he'd caused me. He held up the remaining piece of Baldr’s spellbook as if to shield himself, but I just laughed. There was nothing he could do to stop me. For all those years he’d wanted me to lose control and now that I had, he found himself the target of my fury. I was a tempest of raw power and anguish, and the ire of the storm was focused on him.

“You took everything from me,” I snarled, my voice distorted by the magic coursing through me. “Now I'll take everything from you.”

I raised my hand, a ball of dark blue lightning forming in the air in front of me. Tyr turned on his heel and tried to make a run for it. However, I lifted my other hand, summoning up a barrier much like the one he’d trapped me behind for nearly a decade. He struck the shield, pounding his fists on it as he cried out. But nothing he could do would break it. Even when he cried out his old spell for getting into my magical prison, the shield held strong. My power was far greater than some witch living in a hut in the woods.

When he finally turned to face me I saw the overwhelming fear in his eyes. His Alpha form had faded and for the first time in my life, he looked like the pathetic old man he was, terrified to lose now that he’d come face to face with death. I couldn’t help but smile as I raised my hand, ready to strike him down.

“Mist…”

My heart nearly stopped. That… that was Baldr’s voice! I glanced down at his body, but it was still unmoving.

“Mist…” the disembodied voice said again. “Mist... please... don't do this.”

The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. I hesitated, the ball of lightning flickering in my palm.

“Baldr?” I whispered, my voice cracking. “How...?”

“I'm here, my love. Not gone. Just... between. For only a moment.” His voice was faint, as if coming from a great distance. “But please don't let your grief consume you. Don't become what Tyr wanted you to be. You are so much better than that.”

Tears streamed down my face, evaporating in the heat of my magic. “But he took you from me. He took everything.”

“No, Mist. He didn't. I'm still with you. I'll always be with you.”

I felt a gentle warmth envelop me, like Baldr's arms wrapping around me. The rage that had consumed me began to ebb. However, the moment that feeling faded away, all my anger and grief came crashing back.

“NO!” I screamed into the sky. “I WON’T LET YOU LEAVE ME!”

The ball of lightning in my hand began to shift and tighten, gathering into a sphere of light. At the same time my body drifted back down to the ground. The moment my feet touched the earth, I ran forward to Baldr’s body, dropping down on my knees.

“You… aren’t… going… anywhere!” I sobbed. “I revoke your destiny!”

Raising my hands toward the sky, I grabbed the sphere of magic and ripped it in two. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, I slammed the magic down into Baldr’s unmoving chest. Behind me I heard Loki cry out as a blinding flash of white light filled the abandoned lot, consuming us all in a flare as bright as the sun.

Then the light faded slowly, like mist dissipating in the morning sun. As my vision cleared, I found myself still kneeling beside Baldr's body, my hands pressed against his chest. For a moment, nothing happened. The world held its breath.

Then, suddenly, Baldr's chest heaved. His eyes flew open, wide and startled, as he gasped for air. Color flooded back into his face, and I felt the warmth returning to his skin beneath my palms. His hands flew up, grabbing my arms as if to stop himself from falling.

“Baldr!” I cried, half-laughing, half-sobbing as I gathered him into my arms. “You're alive!”

He blinked, disoriented, his gaze finally focusing on my face. “Mist? What... what happened?”

Before I could answer, a pained groan came from behind us. I turned to see Tyr on his knees, rubbing his eyes as if he’d been blinded. He pushed himself to his feet slowly, swaying back and forth like he was drunk. He reached out his remaining hand, resting it against the lamppost for support. I glared up at him, feeling my magic swirl around me again. His eyes lifted to meet mine, but as I met his gaze, I realized something was wrong.

His eyes were now stark white, all color drained from them in an instant. I couldn’t even see his pupils. And as he looked from side to side, searching for something, I realized he couldn’t see us at all. I glanced back at Loki and Heimdall behind us, wondering if they’d suffered the same fate. However, their eyes seemed to be just fine. Whatever my magic had done, it was targeted only at Tyr.

“What did you do to me you little fucker!” he screamed, his body swelling back into its Alpha form. “I’ll kill you for this!”

He reached down, tearing open his shirt to reveal a bandolier strapped across his chest. Just like the night he’d found Baldr in my hut, it was full of grenades. Before I could stop him, he pulled one free, yanked the pin out with his fangs, and threw it.

Thankfully it sailed far to the right, too far away to be anything but loud. That didn’t stop me from shielding Baldr with my body though. A moment later he pushed me off, trying to get to his feet. Golden magic was swirling around him as I pulled him up, keeping one hand around his waist to hold him stable. Baldr groaned and Tyr’s head snapped in our direction. With a cruel grin he yanked the pin out of another grenade and chucked it straight at us.

I reached out my hand to knock it away, closing my eyes tight and hoping it didn’t explode on impact. However, when nothing struck my hand or the ground near us, I opened my eyes once more. There, hovering in the air, was a golden hand made completely from Baldr’s magic. It grasped the grenade and hurled it to the left, sending it sailing more than a hundred yards away in the empty lot. It exploded harmlessly and Tyr’s face twisted in confusion.

However, before anyone could say a word, something miraculous began to happen. All at once Baldr’s magic suddenly intensified, an incredible amount of it flowing out of him all at once. Some of it broke off to bind Tyr, pinning his arms to his sides. But the rest of it joined the golden disembodied hand. And, within a matter of seconds, a figure began to form. At first I wasn’t sure what kind of creature it might be. But after a moment or two, I realized it was a woman standing nearly ten feet tall with golden eyes and silver hair just like Baldr.

A streak of terror and grief washed through Baldr, followed by a tsunami of hope. It was only then that I realized who she must be.

“M-Mom?” Baldr stammered, staring up at her.

The golden figure turned to face us, her luminous eyes filled with warmth and sorrow. “My son,” she said, her voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance. “You’ve grown into such a handsome young man. You look so much like your father.”

Baldr's legs trembled, and I tightened my grip around his waist to keep him upright. Tears streamed down his face as he reached out a shaking hand towards the apparition. “Is it really you?” he whispered.

The figure nodded, a sad smile gracing her ethereal features. “Yes, my darling. I'm here, if only for a moment.”

“But how?” he asked, his voice barely audible.

The golden woman turned her gaze to me, and I felt a wave of gratitude and approval wash over me. “Such a powerful young witch,” she said, a single finger reaching out to tip up my chin. “You revoked my son’s destiny and brought him back. That is a power only the gods possess.” She gave me a good long look. “It’s no wonder you two ended up in Asgard. The realm gate was trying to take you home.”

I didn’t know what to say. I was struck with awe and fear of this massive creature in front of me. Baldr said she was dead, but she’d touched me. I’d felt the warmth of her skin. Where had she come from?

“Does this mean you’re back?” Baldr asked hopefully.

She turned away from me, facing her son at last. “I’m sorry my love, but I won’t be returning.”

Baldr’s side of the bond darkened instantly, grief welling up inside him once more.

“Don’t fret, sweet child,” she cooed, leaning down and pulling him into her arms. “I’ll always be at your side, even if you can’t see me.”

“But why did you leave?!” Baldr cried. “You just disappeared! I was only a kid, and you left me behind!”

There was an intense melancholy that washed over her. She pulled back, lifting his chin so they were eye to eye.

“It was just my time,” she replied. “I walked the mortal plane for nearly two hundred lifetimes… and I couldn’t stay any longer. I never expected to meet your father so close to the end or to have another child… but I did. And I wouldn’t exchange that time with you for anything even though it was terribly short.” She reached up, wiping his tears away. “I knew the end was coming and I just couldn’t find the heart to tell you. It seemed too cruel to stand in front of you and tell you I was going to pass into another realm, one that you couldn’t follow me to.”

“But why was your time up?” he sobbed. “I don’t understand…”

“All gods come to an end eventually,” she replied softly. “The time of Freya was over long ago, so I journeyed on.” She reached out, pulling Baldr into a tight hug. “Your father came to me sooner than I expected, but I’m just glad my magic remained intact to keep you safe until now.”

Baldr stared up at her. “Until now?”

“This magic and my presence here… they are just shadows of what once was. Long ago I saw every possible facet of your future, the someone or something would come along and try to bring you to an early end, so I made all of them promise not to harm you.” She pulled back, standing up to her full height. “But now you have died and after this final moment, the magic will be spent.”

“But… But I don’t want you to leave!”

“My sweet Baldr,” she cooed, patting his cheek. “You have a mate now and a love deeper than any I’ve ever seen. You have so much to live for and you don’t need me anymore. Of that I am certain. Besides, I need to take care of your father.”

Baldr seemed to understand, but I could tell he didn’t want to let her go. Instead he asked, “Is… Is he alright?”

“We are happily reunited and watching over you, Thor, and Loki. And someday, when the time is right, we’ll all be a family once more.” She pulled her hand back, giving him a soft smile. “Until then, you need to live and live well, okay?”

“Okay…” Baldr whispered, his eyes filling with tears once more. He reached around my waist, pulling me tight against him as he glanced up at me. “I… I will.”

“Good,” she nodded. In an instant her smile faded and she turned back to face Tyr who was still struggling to escape from the golden magic binding him. “Now it’s time to complete this magic once and for all.”

Tyr, though blind, stared up at her, a sneer on his face. “Do your worst you pathetic bitch! I beat your magic once and I’ll do it again!”

“I doubt it,” she replied coolly. “Not when your flesh is stripped from your bones and your soul sent straight to Helheim.”

The golden figure of Freya advanced on Tyr, her luminous eyes now blazing with righteous fury. The air crackled with power as she raised her hand, golden light swirling around her fingers.

“For your crimes against my son, against this young witch, and against the natural order, you will face judgment,” she intoned, her voice echoing with divine authority.

Tyr thrashed against his magical bonds, his face contorted with rage and fear. “You can't do this!” he snarled. “I am the Alpha! I am trying to bring peace back to our clans! I am the rightful ruler of-”

His words were cut off as Freya's hand closed into a fist. Tyr's body went rigid, his mouth open in a silent scream. Golden light began to seep from his eyes, his mouth, even from beneath his skin. It was as if Freya was drawing out his very essence and crushing it beneath her fingers. Tyr let out an agonized scream as the finally light engulfed him, his body writhing in the magical bindings. We watched in stunned silence as his form began to disintegrate, flesh and bone turning to golden dust that scattered on the wind.

In mere seconds, all that remained of the Alpha wolf was a swirling cloud of glittering particles. Freya closed her fist, and the dust compressed into a small, pulsing orb of light. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it hurtling into the sky, where it disappeared in a flash.

A pained cry echoed behind us and I glanced back to see Heimdall collapse to the ground. Loki was right there at his side, holding him tight as the last bits of Heimdall’s father shot into the heavens and disappeared forever.

“It is done,” Freya said, her voice echoing with finality. “He will trouble you no more.”

Baldr clung to me, his body trembling. I could feel his mixture of relief and sorrow through our bond. He was grateful for his mother's intervention, but the weight of everything that had happened was finally settling on him. And he knew she was about to leave him again… for the last time.

Freya turned back to us, her golden form already starting to fade. “My protection spell is no longer needed,” she said softly. “Baldr, my son, remember that I love you. Live well, and know that one day, we will be together again.”

She reached out, her hand shimmering as it passed through Baldr's cheek in a ghostly caress. Then she turned to me, her eyes filled with warmth and gratitude.

“Thank you, young witch, for saving my son. Your love for him is a beacon in the darkness. Cherish each other and let that love guide you through whatever trials may come.”

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

Freya's form began to dissipate, golden motes of light scattering on the wind. Baldr reached out, as if trying to grasp the last remnants of his mother's presence. But his fingers found no purchase.

“Mom,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I love you.”

A warm breeze swept through the lot, carrying her final words: “I love you too, my sweet boy. Always.”

And then, with a small wave, she was gone.

Baldr's legs gave out, and I barely managed to catch him before he hit the ground. We sank to our knees together, clinging to each other as he sobbed into my shoulder. I held him tight, my own tears falling silently as I stroked his hair.

After a long moment, Baldr pulled back, wiping his eyes. He looked at me, his gaze filled with a mixture of love, grief, and wonder. “Mist…” he said, seemingly at a loss for words.

I just nodded, knowing exactly what he needed to hear. “I love you too, Baldr. So much.”

Behind us I heard footsteps crunching in the snow as a hulking figure stepped up beside me. I glanced up, seeing the long blond hair of Thor and his bright blue eyes staring down at us.

“Take my brother home,” he said. “We’ll take care of the rest.” He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. “And thank you for saving him.”

I nodded, tightening my grip on Baldr. I turned him around, pulling him away from the scene. I glanced over at Loki consoling Heimdall and felt a rush of pity. Tyr was a monster, but Heimdall having to watch his father be killed in front of him was cruel. But Thor was already at their side and I knew they’d be okay. Right now I had to help Baldr.

So, with a deep breath, I called on the magic within me to lend me strength and we started back through the snow, heading for the tiny farmhouse and the warm fire within. In time, Baldr would recover. He was still alive, and that’s what was important.

And that I loved him. More than anything.