jotunheim
in the land of Jotunheim, there is only cold.
the only feeling that exists.
the only substance you can feel both inside and outside.
in this cold, any sound gains power, travelling across the lands freely.
jotuns sing. they sing to feel at least a small part of that freedom. of that power.
Jotunheim seems empty and quiet.
its nature - just mountains made of rocks and ice.
its nature - being deceivingly not alive.
to breath this cold and to wait is to hear its nature.
the life inside the rocks and ice.
there cannot be many rituals in Jotunheim.
with its core being so stoic.
but there is one - so rare, so precious.
appreciated by the jotuns, this ritual keeps them inspired in times that are too cold or too quiet.
to find a flower in Jotunheim is a rarity.
but the ritual expects more than one.
to dry each one.
to take their lives. and make them beautiful.
forever.
Jotunheim's quietness requires getting used to.
then, a moment will come.
when in complete silence a sound will appear.
and then another.
and then, the whole stoic world will be filled with music of its nature.
and then, everything will have a voice.
jotuns are creatures that need to be controlled.
in the cold, in constant dangers - there has to be a way for them to remain strong and indifferent.
but no pain can erase their tender nature.
their nature that needs kindness and sees beauty.
their nature that sings.
so they come together and share their tenderness.
tortured or forced to torture, they cry and dance.
ice is always still.
when the natures comes alive and gains its voice, the ice stays still.
it's old. ancient. eternal.
the ice can never change.
it will always be the heart of Jotunheim.
it will keep it cold.
there can be no religion nor gods.
forced to fight, the tender souls are only able to keep their dried beauty close to their non-existent hearts.
but some believe.
those, who ache and grieve, believe there is a way.
a ten-headed god among them will save their land.
a ten-headed god among them will free them from their eternal pain.
miserable is the King of Jotunheim.
miserable is the King, who tries to warm their kin but has no power to do so.
the King is forced to not feel and to not see the tenderness of their kin.
but the King aches as well.
what does the power over the bodies mean when there is no power over the non-existent hearts?
is there even power where there is no warmth?
monsters - that is what jotuns are called far away.
their horns, their red eyes, their blue skin is what forces them to become targets.
and then - executioners.
where there has to be a war, there will be.
when there needs to be protection, there will be.
it does bring pain. and guilt. and grief.
but humans' blood brings some warmth.
in Jotunheim, the sky is always too close to the surface.
it's dark and deep.
and each separate star seems to be reachable. available. almost warm.
there is no light in Jotunheim that does not come from the stars.
sometimes it can feel as if only the sky can bring a crumble of hope.
and jotuns look up. and they watch the stars.
there are jotuns that are lost.
in the dark, in the cold, they wander and search.
their lost souls looked into the stars too willingly, so their eyes have lost the last light.
the lost jotuns wander patiently.
they look for a hint of light lost in the eternal ice.
in that search, they forget about warmth.
and they sing.