Fate: Zero to Hero

The clash was immediate and ferocious. The Valkyries moved with the grace and precision of seasoned warriors, their spears cutting through the air with lethal intent. Ritsuka swung his scythe with a sharp, focused determination, his dragon wings propelling him forward as he parried their attacks. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed through the dark, foreboding forest.

Yang Guifei unleashed a torrent of magical energy, her form surrounded by vibrant flames, the essence of an elder god coursing through her. She took on several Valkyries at once, her movements swift and deliberate, each attack imbued with the power she'd absorbed from Ritsuka. Flames danced around her hands as she channeled the divine fire, hurling it towards her enemies, the Valkyries retreating under the force of her magic.

Kirschtaria stood back, watching with a calculated gaze as his forces engaged Ritsuka and Yang Guifei. His posture was calm, almost unnervingly so. With a flick of his wrist, the sky above them began to shift. The stars themselves seemed to move, aligning in a pattern of ancient magic. A massive array began to form, crackling with the raw power of cosmic energy.

Ritsuka noticed the change immediately. His eyes widened as he realized what Kirschtaria was attempting to do. "He's summoning something... something huge."

Yang Guifei glanced upward, her eyes narrowing. "We have to stop him before it's too late. That array is tied to the sun god's power. If he completes that ritual, we'll be facing something far worse than these Valkyries."

With a burst of dragonic energy, Ritsuka lunged forward, cutting through the Valkyries that tried to block his path. "I'm going after Kirschtaria!" he shouted, glancing back at Yang Guifei. "Can you handle the rest?"

Yang Guifei smirked, her eyes glowing with fierce determination. "Leave them to me."

As Ritsuka surged towards Kirschtaria, wings beating with renewed intensity, Kirschtaria finally moved. He raised his hand, and in response, the array in the sky pulsed, releasing a beam of solar energy directly at Ritsuka. The searing light cut through the night sky, burning with the fury of the sun.

Ritsuka barely managed to dodge the first strike, his wings carrying him just out of range. The heat from the attack was intense, but he pressed forward, determined to close the gap between him and Kirschtaria.

"You've gotten stronger, Ritsuka," Kirschtaria said, his voice calm and composed despite the chaos around them. "But strength alone won't save you. You're facing a power beyond your understanding."

Ritsuka's grip tightened around his scythe as he flew towards Kirschtaria. "I've faced gods before. You're not the first, and you won't be the last. I'm not letting you destroy everything!"

Kirschtaria smiled faintly, his eyes flickering with amusement. "We'll see."

Before Ritsuka could reach him, Kirschtaria summoned another beam of energy, this one wider and more destructive. Ritsuka raised his scythe, channeling his dragonic power into it, and slashed forward. The two energies collided in mid-air, creating a shockwave that rippled through the battlefield.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Yang Guifei was tearing through the Valkyries with ruthless efficiency. Her flames burned brighter with each attack, and her control over her elder god powers became more pronounced. "You might be warriors of the gods, but I am something far beyond that!" she declared, unleashing a massive wave of fire that sent several Valkyries flying.

As she dealt with the last of the Valkyries, she turned her attention back to the battle in the sky. Ritsuka was still clashing with Kirschtaria, their power creating a storm of energy that crackled and sparked through the night.

Yang Guifei took a deep breath, preparing to join the fray when she noticed something. Off in the distance, another force was approaching. The ground trembled, and the faint sound of chanting could be heard. A new wave of enemies was arriving, but this time, they were accompanied by a massive figure—larger than anything she had ever seen.

The figure stepped out of the shadows, towering over the trees. It was a Jotunn, a giant of Norse mythology, and with it, an entire army of Asgardian warriors.

Yang Guifei cursed under her breath. "They just keep coming. This is going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

She glanced back at Ritsuka, still locked in combat with Kirschtaria. If she didn't intervene soon, they would be overwhelmed.

Summoning all of her strength, Yang Guifei prepared for the next wave, her eyes blazing with resolve. "We'll get through this, Ritsuka," she whispered to herself. "I won't let them stop us."

With the army of Asgardians approaching, the battle was far from over. The real fight had only just begun.

Kirschtaria then got back up as he looked at him. "Let's see if you can handle This, Star Light"

As then a energy hit Kirschtaria, as everyone was sent back, as Kirschtaria hair now looked like it was made by Star's, his white suit seemed to glimmer with power, as his hand were full blue, as two winds made from the star's looked at them

Ritsuka then looked at him. "God shift"

But as then the ground opened, it grapped both Ritsuka and Yang Guifei into a different place, they opened there eyes looking around the place they were as they saw a man, he has yellow hair, fair skin, he was wearing a old Asgardian outfit, as he had a smirk next to him was a woman probably the man's wife, she was holding something from a snake which was dropping Venom, the man seemed to chained up to a rock if the woman was not holding that thing it would definitely hit the man's eyes.

Ritsuka just looked at the man and spoke. "Loki".

Ritsuka's voice echoed in the strange, dimly lit cavern as he locked eyes with the man chained to the rock. The man's smirk didn't waver, and his eyes gleamed with a mischievous light even as the venom dripped dangerously close to his face.

"Ah, finally, someone recognizes me," Loki said, his voice smooth and dripping with sarcasm. "I was beginning to think I was forgotten here. And who do we have here, hmmm? Ritsuka Fujimaru, Master of Chaldea, and... Yang Guifei. Quite the odd pair, wouldn't you say?"

Ritsuka clenched his fists, still trying to process the sudden shift in their surroundings. Moments ago, they had been battling Kirschtaria's god-shifted form, and now they were face-to-face with the trickster god himself. Yang Guifei stood beside him, her flames still flickering softly around her, but her gaze was wary, observing every movement of the chained god.

"What are we doing here?" Yang Guifei asked, her tone sharp. "And why did the ground swallow us up?"

Loki chuckled darkly. "Ah, that would be the fault of my dear children. You see, while you were having your little fight up there, something... awoke. Perhaps Kirschtaria's new power triggered it, or maybe the chaos in the realms stirred things up. Either way, you've been brought to me." He shifted slightly, the chains rattling. "Though, for what reason, I couldn't say. I'm a bit... tied up at the moment."

Ritsuka's eyes narrowed. "If you're behind this, tell us how to get out. We don't have time for your games, Loki."

Loki laughed again, this time louder, the venom from the snake nearly dripping onto his face before the woman carefully caught it once more. "You assume I have a choice in the matter. Believe me, if I could free myself, I wouldn't be sitting here waiting for a visit. No, my dear Master of Chaldea, something far worse than me is stirring in the realms. Ragnarok, perhaps? Or something even darker?"

Yang Guifei stepped forward, her fiery aura intensifying. "Enough riddles, Loki. You're the god of mischief, not prophecy. Who or what is trying to disrupt everything?"

Loki's smirk faded slightly, and for a brief moment, a glimmer of genuine seriousness crossed his face. "Let's just say, it's something even the gods are wary of. The balance is shifting. Kirschtaria's godly form might have been the spark, but the fire has been smoldering for a long time." He glanced up at the venomous snake, its venom almost gleaming in the low light. "There are forces older than Asgard, older than even me, waiting for the right moment to strike."

Before Ritsuka or Yang Guifei could press him further, the ground beneath them trembled again. This time, the darkness in the cave seemed to pulse, and the air grew heavy with an ancient, oppressive power.

Loki grinned. "Looks like your time with me is short. Pity, I was starting to enjoy the company."

Ritsuka then summoned sigerd. "Sigerd free him".

Loki looked at him. "Are you sure you wanna free me"

Ritsuka looked at him. "I don't think Ragnarok is going to happen in this Lost belt, I am going to gess that a lot of gods in Asgard are long dead".

Loki let out a powerful laughed. "Your smart, there will be no Ragnarok".

Ritsuka looked at him. "No Ragnarok no end of the age of Gods for Scandinavia, no end of Asgard time is fucked".

Loki's laughter echoed through the cavern as Ritsuka's words settled in. The god of mischief's eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and understanding, though the dangerous edge in his grin remained.

"You've got it, Master of Chaldea," Loki said, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "No Ragnarok means Asgard is frozen in time, locked in a state of limbo. The gods aren't dead, no, but neither are they truly alive anymore. They're caught in between, their fates suspended. And now, you're standing at the heart of it all."

Ritsuka motioned to Sigurd. "Get those chains off him. We need Loki at his full strength if we're going to deal with whatever's coming."

Sigurd approached Loki cautiously, his dragon-slaying blade gleaming in the dim light. He glanced at Ritsuka for confirmation, and once Ritsuka gave him a firm nod, Sigurd raised his blade.

With one powerful swing, Sigurd severed the chains binding Loki. The sound of metal shattering echoed through the cavern, and for the first time in what seemed like eons, Loki was free.

The trickster god stretched his limbs, a wicked grin spreading across his face as the last of his chains fell away. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of glee and mischief as he rose to his feet, his power practically radiating from him.

"You have no idea what you've just done," Loki said, his voice filled with dark amusement. "But I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

Ritsuka took a deep breath, his dragon wings twitching slightly behind him as he prepared for the consequences of his decision. "We're out of time. If Asgard's gods are caught in a state of limbo, then whatever force is keeping them trapped is probably tied to the collapse of this Lostbelt. We need you to help us stop it."

Loki chuckled softly, though his eyes were sharp as ever. "You freed me, and now you want me to play the hero? Oh, this is rich. But fine, I'll play along… for now."

Yang Guifei stepped forward, her flames still flickering around her. "If the gods of Asgard are in limbo, what about their enemies? The Jotunn, the giants, even Surtur?"

Loki's smile widened. "Ah, the giants. Well, let's just say not everything has been frozen in time. Surtur and his kind have been waiting for Ragnarok. With no end in sight, they've been… restless. I'd wager that's what you're feeling in the air now—the stirrings of something ancient waking up."

Ritsuka's eyes narrowed. "Then we have even less time than I thought."

Suddenly, the cavern shook violently. The ground beneath them trembled as a deep, primal roar echoed from above. The sound was unlike anything they'd heard before, as if the very earth itself was groaning under the weight of something colossal.

"Looks like we have company," Sigurd muttered, his hand gripping his blade tightly.

Ritsuka turned toward the exit of the cavern. "Whatever it is, we need to face it together. If we're going to fix this Lostbelt, we can't let the giants or Surtur tear it apart before we have a chance."

Loki stepped forward, his grin fading as he turned serious for the first time since being freed. "I'll help you this time, Master of Chaldea. But make no mistake, once this is over, I'll be making my own plans. After all, I've been waiting for a long time to be free."

Ritsuka nodded, knowing full well that Loki would be a wild card in their fight. But for now, he was a necessary ally.

"Let's go," Ritsuka said, his wings spreading as he prepared for battle. "We've got a Lostbelt to save."

With Loki now free and their resolve steeled, Ritsuka, Yang Guifei, Sigurd, and the newly unchained god of mischief made their way toward the exit, ready to face whatever ancient threat awaited them in the heart of Asgard's crumbling world.

Brynhildr then got out of Ritsuka head as she looked at her faster. "I think we start Ragnarok, or a part of it".

Loki them looked at him. "Now to my Boat, honey can you get that Boat"

Ritsuka just looked at him. "You mean the Boat made by nails".

Loki's grin widened at Ritsuka's words. "Ah, Naglfar, the boat of doom. Yes, indeed, the very same—made from the nails of the dead, meant to bring destruction during Ragnarok. But seeing as we're in a lost and fractured timeline, let's call it… a tool of convenience."

Brynhildr, her spectral form shimmering beside Ritsuka, looked at him with concern. "If Naglfar sets sail, even in this Lostbelt, it could trigger a chain reaction. The balance of power between the realms could unravel completely. We might have accelerated the process of Ragnarok."

Ritsuka clenched his fists. "We've got no choice now. If things are going to spiral out of control, then we need to be ready. Loki, where's your boat?"

Loki's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Follow me, my little heroes, and let's see what chaos we can stir up." He gave a small gesture, and in response, the ground beneath them trembled slightly, as though awakening to Loki's will.

Moments later, a huge, ominous vessel began to materialize in the distance. Its hull gleamed unnervingly in the moonlight, each plank of the ship forged from ancient, gnarled nails of the dead. The massive ship seemed both majestic and cursed, its presence filling the air with a foreboding chill.

Yang Guifei, now fully recovered, stood next to Ritsuka, her expression a mixture of awe and wariness. "So that's the infamous Naglfar…"

Loki turned to Ritsuka with a sly smirk. "Ready to sail into the unknown, Master of Chaldea? This could be the ride of your life."

Ritsuka looked up at the colossal ship, then back at his companions—Brynhildr, Sigurd, Yang Guifei, and Loki. He knew that once they boarded that vessel, there would be no turning back. They were stepping into the heart of an unraveling Lostbelt, with gods, giants, and the remnants of Asgard's power all colliding in a chaotic storm.

"We'll use it to our advantage," Ritsuka said, determination in his eyes. "If Ragnarok is already starting, then we'll ride this chaos and take control. We can't let this Lostbelt fall apart until we get what we need."

Loki nodded, impressed by Ritsuka's resolve. "Good answer. Let's make sure we give them a finale to remember."

The group moved toward the ship, the atmosphere thick with tension. As they approached, Naglfar's ramp descended, creaking ominously. Loki stepped aboard first, his posture relaxed but his eyes gleaming with a sense of anticipation. Ritsuka and the others followed closely behind.

As the boat began to move, Ritsuka looked back at the horizon. In the distance, storm clouds began to gather, lightning crackling ominously, heralding the approach of something far worse than just a storm. The winds carried the faint sound of distant roars—giants awakening from their slumber, their anger stirred by the release of Loki and the stirring of ancient forces.

Ritsuka glanced at Brynhildr. "Looks like we're heading straight into Ragnarok's heart. Let's make sure we're ready."

Brynhildr nodded solemnly. "For Asgard, and for the future, we will fight."

To be continued