Dungeon of Niflheim

While Frost read the accompanying writing and occasionally glanced at the many different forms of the defeated Gods he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Surprised he wrenched his head round at some speed only to see Khione with an evident frown marring her forehead and a smile that wasn't quite a smile on her lips.

Distracted for just a moment and her young paramour dared to leave her side, abandoning the bombshell that was serving as his date.

Realising that he may have made a little bit of a faux pas Frost smiled in a warm gentle manner, trying to be as innocent as possible. His gaze however kept darting back to the display next to him, the forms and figures of the mighty Primordials and even the defeated Gods being too impressive to ignore.

"Hahahahaha you're like a kid in a toy store." Khione's frustration vanished like a puff of smoke, seeing Frost's eyes glinting with excitement and unrestrained interest she couldn't help but remember her youth as well as the images of kids still in school visiting the museum on a field trip.

"Can you blame me; I saw the phrase War of the Gods written in black and white. Of course I'm going to rush to the next display in the hope of seeing such a marvellous sight." Unconsciously Frost's hands balled into tight fists, and a wild almost insane expression plastered his face. Gods, the very peak of the world, far beyond the reach of mere mortals engaging in a conflict that could tear the very fabric of Nova asunder. Any man even with the slightest degree of fire in his heart would find himself ablaze let alone Frost who was considered by many as a battle maniac.

As though in tune with his emotions Khione matched his degree of excitement, the wild ear spanning smile that showed off her immaculate teeth, the tight fists that caused her knuckles to loudly crack and of course that sense of elation, that desire that made her want to wave her spear and clash directly against an army of enemies.

The two battle maniacs shared a moment between them, their gazes dancing over the majestic forms if the Primordials then the defeated Gods that albeit being the losers were still miles beyond their comprehension before eventually looking at each other. Imagining a duel at their eventual peak, a fight that would be no less imposing than the War of the Gods.

Khione relished in this hope for a few moments before suddenly being hit with a sense of pain. Another look at the display conjured up memories of her youth, memories of when she visited with her father.

While she looked on with interest and excitement, her heart filled with pride and joy upon seeing her father's majesty Shivali looked on in grief, his expression laden with guilt so strong that he visibly trembled, his usually confident and stalwart image crumbling ever so briefly.

Khione remembered this and being a curious child, worried about her father she asked him what was wrong and after getting a vague answer that didn't explain anything she spoke to her mothers and also her elder siblings, all of whom showed serious expressions in response to her question.

"Khione you should never mention the War of the Gods to your father. While you and I see a glorious battle in which he was triumphant he feels only guilt and regret."

"Why?" The young Khione didn't understand, wasn't it good to win, to defeat the enemy, the bad guys.

She remembered her mother deeply sighing, taking a few seconds to think before answering her daughter's question.

"For your father that war is one of his greatest regrets, he was forced to kill beings that had against all odds fought and clawed their way to Godhood escaping the tribulations and suffering of mortality. So much effort, dedication and time ended by his own hands. Mortals will come and go, life is abundant and ever changing but even so the odds of becoming a God is miniscule, even a single loss in their number would be felt for eons to come." Freyja explained the situation to the young Khione in this manner and being a God herself she somewhat understood Shivali's pain.

In his eyes those that managed to escape mortality via their own efforts should be Dark's, Light's and the Primordials' pride and joy. Unfortunately a divide grew, and hatred festered between them resulting in an inevitable war.

"Khione?" Frost noticed the shift in Khione's state and called her name.

"Hmm…sorry just remembering something, don't mind me." Khione shook her head and waved her hand rebuffing Frost's inquisition, her mind quickly throwing those dour memories into the depths of her mind, fencing them off so as to continue this little date of theirs.

After inspecting the display for a few minutes the pair continued their tour through the museum.

After the War of the Gods Shivali as well as most of the Primordials receded to their own domains, choosing to leave most of Nova and the God plane to the newly ascended Gods while their fostered their own kingdoms.

At this point the realm of Niflheim was Shivali's personal realm, a place for him and him alone. Here he could be free and unfettered, commune with his element and master new forms without influencing the world beyond.

The displays slowly showed Niflheim's development, the expansion of its borders, the introduction of monsters designed solely by Shivali, the immigration of those that developed and grew in the Glacial mountains and then the gradual growth of a town, a city, a nation, a kingdom and finally an empire that eclipsed even the mightiest of the sapient nations.

Frost watched and learned each and every stage of Niflheim's development and even without Khione's blunt advice he could understand how very different his position was to Shivali's.

"You couldn't be more right; there's no way I could mirror this type of development even if I had tens of thousands of years." Frost held his hands up, shrugged and shook his head as they reached the end of their excursion.

"You can still gleam inspiration, the direction of building development for example. Plan for an overinflated future rather than something mundane. Much easier to accrue more people than having to redesign a city's entire foundation while people are living there." Many villages struggled to grow beyond their means due to poor layouts and insufficient infrastructure.

"That's true but even so…." Frost visibly frowned, his mind churning ideas as he thought about his near and distant future.

"Our starting positions are so different that it's hard to remain optimistic."

"Really, how hard can it be? You're a Dungeon core, the offspring of one of the two Creation Gods, blessed with talent that makes even me jealous and abilities that seem almost Godlike." Being a Princess of Niflheim and someone who had become interested in the man standing next to her Khione was given the basics in regards to the new species known as Dungeon cores.

"Hahaha you'd think that wouldn't you. How could someone who is blessed with such advantages feel pessimistic about his future." Frost laughed in a depressing manner before explaining the direness of his situation to his curious companion.

"Unlike uncle Shivali my territory is surrounded by threats, threats far more established than myself and who have come to gradually see me as a quickly growing thorn in their side." The image of Crown Prince Randolph and 2nd Prince Sedrick flashed in his mind.

"Days after my birth I'm assaulted by bandits, then I find myself drawn into a noble's family war which places an even larger target on my back. There's constant competition between my siblings and I, each of us desperately clawing for every scrap of DP so as to best one another and earn our father's affection. The faster we develop the greater the threat we pose to the surrounding areas, drawing even greater threats to our doorstop…." An endless race, filled with benefits, joys and adventure but also tiring, stressful and dangerous. A single slip up resulting in death.

"Have you heard of the Northrend empire?" Feeling a need to get this weight off his chest Frost poured out his heart, his burdens and worries to this musclebound Goddess that gave him a sense of safety and comfort.

"Northrend empire…sorry Frost it doesn't ring a bell." Picking up on the seriousness of the situation Khione racked her brain but unfortunately the name was unfamiliar to her.

Frost expected as much, Khione was a bit sheltered but even if she wasn't the Northrend empire was a sapient nation far to the south and far weaker than even the most basic nation found in the Glacial mountains core regions.

"It's one of the largest empires on the Yangmir continent at least when it comes to sapients and unfortunately or fortunately depending on how this situation eventually turns out it's right on my doorstep."

"Isn't that an advantage don't you feed off the life energy of those who enter your Dungeon. A powerful empire ought to have a surplus of population right?" Khione replied, her thinking cap donned and ready to work.

"Yes you are correct in that sense, but at the same time it also poses a significant threat. Their forces and even their high ranking adventurers are far more than I can currently handle and guess what?"

"What?" Khione asked playfully, going along with Frost's narrative as they walked.

"I being the genius that I am managed to piss off both the crown Prince and the 2nd Prince the two men who are in the front running for ruling this mighty nation."

"....Well that was stupid."