The four continued walking along the uneven path, following Mimir's guidance toward the location of the magic chisel.
As they moved closer, the scale of the damage caused by the falling hammer became increasingly clear.
What had once been a frozen landscape shaped by time and nature was now shattered, cracked, and partially buried under massive debris.
The entire region looked as if a giant had struck the world itself with overwhelming force, which in a sense had actually happened.
Mimir let out a low hum as he surveyed the destruction. He sounded torn between frustration and acceptance. "This kind of devastation would normally be unthinkable," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Although considering the circumstances, I suppose there was no gentler option."
Atreus nodded in agreement as he looked over the broken terrain. Entire ice ridges had collapsed, frozen structures had split apart, and the scattered remnants of what used to be natural formations now looked as if a battlefield had swallowed the land.
Zelos glanced at the area with a calm expression. "Do not worry. Once we get the chisel, I can restore the surroundings to the way they were before. It will not take much effort. I just need a bit of time," he said, trying to reassure Mimir and Atreus.
Mimir sighed softly. "That is not what I am concerned about, little brother, although it is good to hear. Destruction on this scale, even if reversible, is still not something to take lightly. But it is done and we must move forward."
They continued deeper into the frozen ruins, and as they approached the center where the chisel was embedded in the ice, the cold air carried echoes of voices. The sound traveled easily across the open, icy space, allowing them to hear the conversation of two individuals long before they came into sight.
"That was impressive strength. I never thought anyone could lift something like that," one voice said. The tone clearly belonged to Magni, which immediately caused Mimir to tense.
"That was magic, you idiot. Even Father would struggle to lift that hammer by hand. Nobody is stronger than Father," another voice replied sharply. It belonged to Modi, whose irritation was the same as always.
Magni did not seem to like the insult, and his voice turned more serious. "Do not underestimate them. They managed to defeat Uncle. Something neither of us has done."
Modi scoffed."Uncle was probably having one of his strange episodes again. You know how broken that man's mind is. He loses track of reality half the time."
Magni paused before responding, as if recalling something. "True enough. I remember him talking to Uncle Vidar once, even though nobody was near him. The man was as confused as a wandering sheep."
Modi let out a small noise of agreement. "Even so," Magni continued, "we should take this seriously. I have no intention of disappointing Father. Not again and not ever."
The voices faded as the two moved further away from the range of hearing.
Mimir released a quiet groan. "That confirms it. Those were the sons of Thor, Magni and Modi. We must be careful, brother," he said to Kratos, who expressed his agreement with a low grunt.
Zelos, on the other hand, felt something entirely different. 'Vidar? That should not be possible. He exists in the myths, but not in the game I know. Did something I did change the story? Did my presence shift something behind the scenes?' The thought bothered him more than he expected.
Atreus noticed the silence from his brother. "Something on your mind, Zelos?" he asked.
"Yes. I have been wondering about something I heard in their conversation earlier," Zelos answered. "Mimir, the two of them seem to hold some sort of resentment toward each other. Can you explain where that comes from?"
Mimir blinked, then nodded. "Ah, that would be tied to a certain giant named Hrungnir," he said. This immediately caught the interest of both Kratos and Atreus. They moved closer to Mimir to listen.
Mimir cleared his throat. "It seems I now have all of your attention. Very well. Let me tell you the real story of Hrungnir the Brawler."
Atreus tilted his head slightly. "His shrine shows him fighting off Aesir in a huge battle. Is that not what happened?"
Mimir shook his head, clearly disappointed. "A pleasant story, but completely false. Hrungnir was born without a head and without a heart, so the Giants completed him with stone. He was incredibly strong, but he had the intellect of a child. One day, Odin found him wandering Midgard and became amused by how harmless and gullible he was. So Odin invited him to Asgard, filled him with mead, and encouraged him to boast and act out for the entertainment of the court."
"I was present when the Aesir laughed as Hrungnir stood on his shield and declared that he would kill everyone in Asgard and take all their women back to Jotunheim. Then Thor entered the hall. While everyone else laughed, Thor did not. He walked up to Hrungnir and brought Mjolnir down on his head with such force that to this day, pieces of Hrungnir remain stuck in Thor's skull."
"The blow stunned Thor so badly that he did not notice Hrungnir's enormous body falling directly on top of him. It landed on him with a sickening sound. And again, the entire hall burst into laughter."
Atreus stared at Mimir in disbelief, and even Kratos remained quiet for a moment. The story was far different from what Faye had ever told.
Atreus then spoke up. "What does that have to do with Magni and Modi?"
Mimir nodded. "After Hrungnir collapsed onto Thor, no one could lift the stone body off of him. Thor was unable to help because he could barely stay conscious. None of Odin's men were strong enough. Then little Magni and Modi appeared. They were no taller than shrubs at the time, but while nobody else was looking, they managed to flip Hrungnir's body and free their father. Magni, because he was blonder, received all the praise, and Modi received nothing. Modi held that resentment for years, and he never let it go."
Before Atreus could respond, Kratos suddenly said, "Enough. We are close."
His tone was stern and calm, reminding them that they were in hostile territory.
"There it is, brother. The tip of the chisel is right ahead. We should secure it quickly," Mimir said as he pointed toward the enormous shard of magical metal embedded in the ground.
The group hurried forward. However, before they could reach it, a loud roar shook the area. The sound came from the top of the cliff towering over the chisel, and in the next instant, something massive plummeted from above.
An ogre crashed to the ground with tremendous force, its ribs shattering upon impact. A large man stood on its back, using the creature's body as a platform. The ogre struggled weakly, but the man seized its head and snapped its neck with casual strength, ending the fight instantly.
The man then turned to face Kratos and the others. With one arm, he lifted the dead ogre and tossed it aside as though it were nothing more than discarded cloth. The four recognized him immediately.
Magni. Zelos knew Modi would appear shortly, and he prepared himself. "Surrender. The All Father demands it," Magni growled as he walked toward them.
Kratos answered with a firm "No."
Magni smirked, drawing his weapon and spinning it in his grip. Sparks of electricity flickered along the blade.
"Good," he said. Kratos turned to Zelos.
"This fight is mine," Kratos stated. Zelos nodded and stepped back, waiting for Modi to show himself.
Soon enough, a familiar figure appeared.
"If it is not the goat with the cut tongue," Modi said with a cruel tone. "You chose terrible company to run away with."
And with that, the confrontation began.