Revenge! The Death of Laufey

Loki stared blankly, his eyes reflecting the endless waves of air and the monstrous sea of flames.

The countless Frost Titans charging toward the battlefield were obliterated by the sheer force of the explosion's aftermath.

The shockwave alone claimed countless lives.

The royal court of the Frost Titans was reduced to ashes—no building spared from the devastation.

Just as Aaron was about to speak, Sif cut him off, her voice sharp.

"Are you about to talk about magic again?" she asked, glaring at him.

Fixing her gaze on Aaron, she added with frustration, "Aside from you, I've never seen a magician capable of unleashing such massive destruction, one attack after another."

"If other magicians had your abilities, do you think I would have chosen to be a warrior?"

Fandral nodded in agreement. "Exactly. To be honest, if I hadn't seen how useless most magicians are in battle, I'd apply to the Academy of Magic the moment we return."

"Agreed!" Volstagg raised his hand in support.

Hogun nodded as well.

Seeing their reactions, Aaron didn't brush them off with another mention of magic. Instead, he explained, "Actually, it's nothing special. Didn't I tell you I built something big before? I made a few improvements to it over the last couple of days—with magic, of course."

He shrugged. "So it just... explodes a little more powerfully now."

"A little?" Sif rolled her eyes, staring at the ruined city. "Laufey won't just be injured—he'll be crushed!"

Volstagg frowned. "Do you think Laufey could have survived that?"

Everyone turned to Aaron, waiting for his answer.

Aaron furrowed his brows.

Would Laufey die?

If he had been caught directly in the blast's center without any defenses, the chances of survival were slim.

Aaron wasn't entirely sure how durable Laufey was.

Logically, as a warrior who once battled Odin, Laufey shouldn't be vulnerable to mere explosions.

After all, Thor—once fully awakened—was able to withstand part of a neutron star's energy when forging Stormbreaker.

If Laufey's physique was on par with that of Thor at the time—or even the Hulk—his chances of survival would be significantly higher.

However, given that Doomsday had once been temporarily killed by a nuclear blast and that Loki had previously slain Laufey with the Gungnir, it was possible that he wasn't as invincible as some believed.

Moreover, the explosion Aaron created wasn't just an ordinary blast—it was a magical detonation infused with immense energy.

Its power defied imagination.

Laufey might not be dead, but he was certainly gravely wounded.

Aaron was confident of that.

And if not?

He had a contingency plan.

Asgard

When Odin learned that Thor, Aaron, and the others had ventured to Jotunheim to challenge the Frost Giants, his mood soured instantly.

He wanted nothing more than to beat some sense into Thor.

Did the boy really believe that Jotunheim was so easily conquered?

It had taken Odin himself a great deal of effort to subdue the Frost Giants in the past.

And Thor thought he could handle them—with nothing more than a handful of warriors and a hammer?

"Idiot," Odin muttered, rubbing his temples.

Despite Thor's recklessness, Odin had no choice but to intervene.

He knew Laufey's character.

Perhaps his past reputation would delay immediate retaliation, but he couldn't rely on Laufey's mercy.

Once war broke out, Thor and the others would be in grave danger.

They were the future of Asgard.

If they perished in Jotunheim, even obliterating the entire realm of the Frost Giants wouldn't be enough to mend that loss.

Nor would it quell the fury in Odin's heart.

Without hesitation, he donned his battle armor and helmet, summoning his eight-legged steed.

Clutching the Gungnir tightly, he mounted the horse.

In that moment, he felt as though he had returned to the days when he conquered the Nine Realms.

Yet his weary, aging eyes betrayed the truth—he was no longer in his prime.

"Heimdall," he commanded, "find them. Tell me what is happening."

Heimdall focused his sight on Jotunheim—and his face paled.

"What is it?" Odin demanded, heart pounding. "Has Laufey killed them? Is it Loki? Sif?"

He knew Thor was safe—he would have felt it otherwise.

If Thor was unharmed, then it had to be the others.

Heimdall swallowed. "No… it's Laufey. Laufey has been injured."

Odin blinked. "What?"

Heimdall's voice was laced with disbelief.

"I see Frost Giants howling in agony. I see their king—Laufey—dragging his broken body through the flames. Blood covers him. His eyes are filled with rage."

Laufey had been critically wounded.

More wounded than he had ever been before.

"What happened to Laufey? Show me!" Odin barked.

Turning his gaze toward Jotunheim, Odin saw it for himself.

The Frost Giant King was in tatters.

Laufey threw back his head and roared, his voice filled with pure hatred.

His royal court lay in ruins.

Tens of thousands of his people lay dead.

And he himself had been grievously wounded.

At Laufey's furious cry, the remaining Frost Giants—those outside the blast radius—charged forward.

Their cold energy extinguished the lingering flames, ice reclaiming the ruins.

"Slaughter the Asgardians!"

"Leave none alive!"

Odin's breath hitched.

Had Thor done this?

No. Impossible.

Odin knew his son's strength well.

Thor had great potential—perhaps even enough to surpass him one day.

But as he was now?

There was no way Thor could have done this.

Mjolnir was powerful, but Thor had yet to fully awaken his strength. He stood no chance against Laufey and his forces.

Then how?

Odin shifted his gaze.

Thor and his companions were standing in the distance, speaking in hushed voices.

They looked at Aaron with awe and respect.

"Listen to what they're saying," Odin ordered.

Heimdall focused. His abilities extended beyond sight—he could hear anything within his vision.

And what he heard left both of them stunned.

Aaron had done this.

Aaron had used magic to summon a thunderstorm—one as devastating as Thor's own lightning—to annihilate the Frost Giants.

And he had created an explosion powerful enough to level Laufey's kingdom.

Magic?

Odin's eyes darkened.

The Academy of Magic did not teach such spells.

Even in his vast knowledge of the arcane, he knew of no magic that could do what Aaron had just done.

Did Aaron discover these spells himself?

Odin recalled what Frigga had told him—how Aaron had improved upon illusion magic.

Was this another of his innovations?

"God-King," Heimdall said cautiously, "do we still proceed?"

Odin exhaled heavily.

"Yes," he muttered. "Bring them back to Asgard."