The Immortal Gazette: The Norse Creation Myth: A Chaotic Start to Everything
The familiar hum of conversation swirled through the room as the immortals settled in for another evening of storytelling. Alice, as always, was perched comfortably on her chair, her gaze flicking from Rumplestiltskin to Loki, both of whom were already exchanging knowing glances.
Loki, casually flipping a coin between his fingers, raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you’re not going to tell them that one again, are you?”
Rumplestiltskin grinned. “What can I say? Chaos never gets old, Loki.”
Alice leaned forward with interest, her curiosity piqued. “Chaos? Do I even want to know?”
Loki looked amused. “You see, Alice, some stories start with chaos and just never stop.”
Rumplestiltskin chuckled darkly. “Exactly. So, let me tell you the Norse Creation Myth, which, by all accounts, begins with absolute pandemonium.”
Alice shot Rumple a playful glance. “Sounds like your kind of tale, huh?”
Rumplestiltskin winked. “You have no idea.”
The Beginning of Everything: Chaos, Ice, and Fire
Rumplestiltskin leaned in, his voice lowering to a dramatic murmur. “In the beginning, there was nothing. Well, not nothing, but a place called Ginnungagap—an endless void, stretching out between two realms. To the north was Niflheim, a land of ice and cold, and to the south, Muspelheim, a realm of fire and heat. And where they met? A chaotic and violent place where life shouldn’t have existed.”
Loki snorted. “That sounds like a recipe for disaster. No wonder everything went to hell.”
Rumplestiltskin shot him a look. “Indeed. But where there’s fire, there’s always a spark. From this clash of ice and fire, Ymir, the first of the giants—Jotnar—was born. He wasn’t just any giant, though. No, he was a creature of pure chaos.”
Alice cocked her head. “Wait. A giant made of chaos?”
“Exactly,” Rumplestiltskin said, nodding eagerly. “And Ymir was alone, but he didn’t stay that way for long. From the sweat of his own body, two other giants emerged, and this, my dear Alice, was the start of the world.”
“Wait—sweat?” Alice said, raising an eyebrow. “So this giant sweated the rest of the world into existence? That’s a bit gross, if you ask me.”
Loki laughed. “Ah, yes. Eau de Ymir. Truly, a fragrance worth bottling.”
Rumplestiltskin grinned, ignoring their teasing. “It’s the chaos that makes it all so beautiful. From Ymir’s body came the first of everything. The seas, the mountains, and all the realms you’ve heard of—the gods, the mortals, the creatures—everything came from the body of Ymir. And it was all a bloody mess.”
Loki leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “Wait—this is just the beginning? Tell me there’s more.”
“Oh, there’s always more,” Rumplestiltskin said. “As Ymir continued to create, he eventually met the first gods, Odin and his brothers, Vili and Ve. These gods, feeling that they might not be able to trust a giant as powerful as Ymir, decided to kill him. A bit extreme, but when you’re the first gods, I suppose you can afford to be dramatic.”
Alice leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. “Well, that escalated quickly. So they kill him—just like that?”
Rumplestiltskin’s grin widened. “Exactly. They took Ymir’s body and used it to create the world we know today. His flesh became the land, his blood the oceans, his bones the mountains. Everything came from Ymir’s destruction, which is... well, chaotic and beautiful, don’t you think?”
Loki rolled his eyes dramatically. “Yeah, beautiful chaos. That’s what they always call it after the destruction’s done.”
Rumplestiltskin raised a finger, continuing with enthusiasm. “But here’s where it gets interesting—while all this is going on, Odin and his brothers also created the first humans, Ask and Embla, from two pieces of driftwood. But, of course, it wasn’t just the gods who were involved. Oh no. You had giants, elves, and all manner of beasts roaming the world—chaos everywhere!”
“And what about Loki? What’s his role in all of this?” Alice asked, giving Loki an inquisitive glance.
Loki smirked. “Ah, yes, well, my dear, Loki’s role was essential, of course. I was... born of fire and chaos, like everything else. A little spark of mischief to keep things interesting. You could say that the chaos was my fault from the very beginning.”
Rumplestiltskin chuckled. “True, true. A little spark here, a little spark there... and before you know it, Asgard is a powder keg.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Loki, you just love to take credit for everything, don’t you?”
“Wouldn’t you?” Loki countered smoothly.
The World, the Gods, and the Ever-Present Chaos
Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat, refocusing their attention. “Now, let’s talk about the gods. They set up a place for themselves, Asgard, and ruled over the other realms. They were immortal, and they had power over everything. But the chaos didn’t stop. Oh no. The giants—those pesky creatures from the beginning—kept causing trouble, and there were constant battles between gods and giants. Sound familiar?”
Loki chuckled. “It’s like the ultimate family drama. Nothing quite like a bit of divine sibling rivalry, and an occasional giant battle for good measure.”
Rumplestiltskin nodded, a devilish glint in his eye. “Exactly. And of course, the gods weren’t always perfect. Even though they had power, they weren’t immune to trickery—even if that trickery came from their own bloodline.”
“Wait, are you talking about Loki again?” Alice asked, mockingly.
Loki raised his hands in innocence. “You can’t prove anything. Besides, if I was responsible for all the chaos, that would just make me the most important figure in Norse mythology, wouldn’t it?”
Rumplestiltskin leaned forward. “And so the world was born from chaos—through the death of Ymir, through the trickery of gods, and through endless rivalries and fights. Every part of the universe, from the earth to the sky, was crafted from Ymir’s body, all the while surrounded by danger and mischief. The gods never had a dull moment, and neither did the rest of the world.”
Alice sighed dramatically. “So basically, the world was a mess, and it all started with a giant sweating out land and seas.”
Rumplestiltskin nodded sagely. “In the end, it all comes down to chaos. The chaos of creation, the chaos of gods, giants, and immortals clashing. And really, it’s what keeps things interesting, don’t you think?”
Loki smirked. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
And with that, the fire crackled in agreement, the world of the immortals always teetering on the edge of madness, as it always had been since the very first spark of creation.
🖋️✨📜🖤
