381

[The Eye of the Warlock]

After scrutinizing the face for a prolonged moment, Forseti finally recalled the identity of the person.

Although Heimdall had never personally seen Harrokin, as a rare fugitive wanted across Asgard for murder, his face had been plastered on wanted posters for quite some time. Naturally, Forseti had come across the portrait on those orders.

Considering that no other Asgardians were likely to infiltrate Muspelheim to steal the Warlock's Eye, it seemed highly probable that the thief was Harrokin.

Forseti had never expected to stumble upon such a situation during this journey. Harrokin, who had inexplicably disappeared back then, had actually stolen something in Muspelheim...

On the other side, most of the peaks in Muspelheim were dominated by volcanoes, and this area was no exception. Large and small volcanoes dotted the landscape, with fiery magma flowing between the black stones.

Harrokin lay on a boulder, breathing heavily. His appearance was disheveled, his clothes mostly burned, his skin marked with scars, and his abdomen still faintly bleeding. Clearly, he had just endured a fierce battle.

For most creatures, these injuries would be severe, potentially fatal if left untreated. But as an Asgardian, such wounds posed little threat.

Harrokin lay on the rock for a few hours, and his injuries significantly improved. The bleeding from his abdomen had stopped.

As he calmed his breathing, Harrokin raised his right hand, holding tightly the object he had retrieved, and examined it closely.

It was a metallic object resembling an eye, like the gouged-out eye of a bronze statue.

"The Warlock's Eye..." Harrokin murmured as he studied the eye-shaped metal object.

The Warlock's Eye was an ancient artifact highly coveted by sorcerers.

For centuries, the Warlock's Eye had been regarded as a mere legend, yet here it was, now in Harrokin's hands.

Harrokin had gone to great lengths to find the Warlock's Eye, driven by his desire to secure Loki's true freedom.

Upon escaping Asgard, he had reluctantly agreed to Loki's terms and journeyed alone to Muspelheim in search of the Warlock's Eye.

This quest had spanned decades. Harrokin had faced numerous trials and dangers in Muspelheim, coming close to death on several occasions.

Had luck not been on his side, he might have lost his life long before finding the Warlock's Eye.

Whenever Harrokin reflected on these hardships, he couldn't help but feel regretful for his naivety and resentful towards Loki and Amora for their cunning.

"Those two tricksters!" Harrokin muttered angrily, unable to contain his frustration.

Yet, he had no choice. Loki had marked him, leaving an imprint that could reveal Harrokin's location to the Asgardian gods unless he handed over the Warlock's Eye.

With a sigh, Harrokin rose from the boulder, preparing to head towards the dimensional passage to find Loki and deliver the Warlock's Eye.

But as he moved, Harrokin's pace slowed, brows furrowing in contemplation.

Eventually, he halted, bringing the Warlock's Eye up to eye level once more. He stared at it intently, his expression shifting from reflection to determination, and sometimes hesitation.

Finally, as if reaching a decision, he gritted his teeth, grasped the Warlock's Eye firmly with both hands, and directed its gaze towards himself.

Instantly, a faint light emanated from between his hands, and the Warlock's Eye glowed with a soft green hue.

As Harrokin observed the green light, his surprise grew, and the radiance intensified between his palms.

The green glow from the Warlock's Eye grew brighter and brighter until a beam of light shot out, striking Harrokin directly in the abdomen.

"Ah!"

Harrokin cried out in pain, yet even as the green light hit him, Loki's magical imprint on his body began to show.

Unwavering, he allowed the Warlock's Eye's beam of light to continue its assault.

Harrokin lacked expertise in wielding the Warlock's Eye correctly, causing himself great suffering. Fortunately, the ordeal was brief.

Under the eye's illumination, Loki's magical imprint flickered violently, then disintegrated into faint sparkles, dispersing from his body and fading away.

Only then did Harrokin release the Warlock's Eye, panting heavily yet exuding an overwhelming sense of joy. "I... I'm free!"

"I'm free! Haha!" He exclaimed triumphantly, clenching his fists in elation.

He glanced once more at the Warlock's Eye in his hand. "The Warlock's Eye... Fate must have played a hand in this. Sooner or later, I will return to Asgard!"

...

Having dealt with the pirate menace, Forseti and Eitri strolled along the lava shore for some time until Eitri suddenly brightened, pointing ahead. "Over there!"

The two hurried towards the designated spot where Eitri nodded approvingly. "Yes, this is the place. Let's descend."

With that, he entered the lava first, Forseti close behind, and after a while, both plunged into the depths of the lava sea.

"Just follow the current downstream. It may take some time..." Eitri instructed.

Navigating the dense lava was strenuous, even with the Active Fire Pendant. After over an hour of swimming, they finally reached the seabed.

At this depth, even with the pendant, Eitri couldn't help but feel the heat, panting slightly. "We should be nearing it."

After a bit more swimming, they arrived at the lava sea's bottom. Unseen before, a black substance composed the seabed, a blend of rock and metal.

"These black rocks are Nidavellir's furnace material." Eitri explained, searching around. "While collecting these, I learned about the Jinlunga news."

Forseti nodded, picking up a few of these stones, storing them in the Sanctuary space as mementos.

Eitri continued his search, swimming towards a diamond-shaped boulder, moving it aside with both hands. He pointed where the boulder had covered, "This should be Jinlunga's entrance. But we need your assistance to unlock it."

Forseti swam closer, examining the seabed. A palm-shaped groove rested there, adorned with runes.

Though seemingly unremarkable, as a fire deity, Forseti sensed a latent fiery power emanating from it.

"To open this gate, we need to infuse powerful flames into this groove." Eitri explained. "We've encountered individuals with fire abilities before, but none possessed the strength you wield. As a second-order fire power bearer, you should suffice."