If I was in a better mood I might be impressed by the study. I think I would be slightly disturbed that axes ground into the wall seemed to be mostly decorative. Though one did have a helmet hanging on it. The rest was almost all bookshelves carved right into the massive wooden walls. The desk looked like the skull of some enormous pony, I would guess a frost giant. Sleipnir was behind it, a smile on his face. I turned briefly to the valkyrie that led me here and bowed slightly. No matter how covered in slime I might be, there is no excuse for being impolite. She was wearing the traditional armor of Asgard, complete with horned helmet. Of course the horns were usually spikes, spines or teeth from monsters, but mounted up they rarely looked it.
"Thank you mam. You've been a great help."
She just nodded and left.
"So, I see you're met Fenrir."
I turned back to Sleipnir. "He ate me."
"His stomach acid is very mild. It takes forever to break things down and barely even hurts. But you're very upset anyway aren't you?"
"Of course I am. I was eaten by a giant wolf. Why wouldn't I be upset."
"Watch the flames please."
He then motioned to his own mane. I blinked, trying to understand what he was getting at. I then looked at my own mane. Oddly while a little messy it was clean and dry, like somehow all the slobber just evaporated. I think the area around my mane was a little dryer too. What happened? I turned back to see Sleipnir frowning.
"But more seriously, and of far greater concern, you met Lockie."
"Why is it I've never heard of…"
"The frost king?"
I gasped. "As in he who shall lead the forces of darkness against Ragnarok? But…"
"Yes, she passed herself off as male for some time. Though it helps she is a master shapeshifter. She is also known as the mother of monsters."
"But, aren't those two different…" I sighed. "Okay, never mind, they clearly aren't. Still, it doesn’t make sense. I mean both are in the legends and assumed to be based in reality but she seems like another Discord. How could…"
"And did you know anything about Discord before he escaped?"
I went wide eyed. "Are you saying…"
"I'm saying Celestia tries to shelter her little ponies from the horrors of the world as much as possible. Luna was always better about that."
"There probably is a book about her in Luna's library. Any other horrifying threats I don't know about?"
"Several probably, but Lockie is the only local one."
"How is it that she's running free when…"
"A few things. First Ragnarok already happened. The destruction to the world, including Asgard, was exaggerated, but the deaths were not."
"But that means…" Then face hooved. "Nothing. You all just got up a little later."
Sleipnir nodded. "Exactly. In fact it was such great fun we've made it a regular thing. Every few decades or so we have a great big attack, then a party afterward."
I just stared.
"You forgot I'm also a god of battle, didn't you?"
I nodded. Asgard was in truth a small nation, but the head of the northern alliance. Most of the alliance didn't contribute anything militarily and depended on Asgard's protection since unlike most nations they had no powerful being as ruler to protect them. Asgard ponies were also famous for how much they loved to fight. I had assumed it had to be an exaggeration but even though it was dream the sheer enthusiasm of Thoroughbred as he fought was undeniable.
"So secondly you don't have that big an issue with Lockie because fighting random giant monsters is fun for everyone here."
"Not everyone, but yes. Finally, she does indeed get out of hoof at times, and we often try to imprison her or restrain her. In the past we even managed to use the elements of harmony on her. She always gets out."
"But it still seems wrong I mean…"
"There is one other thing. Unlike Discord she plays fairly. She doesn't tell you the rules, the game, will stack the deck against you, but she will play fair."
"So she's not that bad really?"
He frowned. "No, she can be worse at times because that's all it is to her. A game. That's all anyone or anything is. She seems to have mellowed with time but I feel it is more of a matter of her better understanding where the line is rather than actually caring about the morals of a situation."
I sighed. "Great, so there is a dangerous insane Pinkie in the world."
"Oh, it's worse than that. I think she likes you."
"And that's a terrible thing because she's going to make my life miserable."
"Possibly. Lockie really is truly chaotic. She likes one of my wives as well as Thor. She torments him mercilessly, while she helped my wife attain the power of a goddess and has been nothing but nice to her. But it is still best not to have her attention."
"Because the first is most likely."
"No, most likely is she will alternately torture and reward you, with no idea what might be coming next. She is dangerous, but these days never kills on purpose."
"But in the past…"
He nodded. "In the past many of us killed. Not just we of the north, but everywhere and everyone. Celestia was always soft hearted, but even she."
"And Luna…"
"Fought beside me more times than I could count. While I have seriously courted both sisters, only with Luna did I ever think she might accept. She never did."
I nodded slowly. It was a lot to take in. Not only was there at least some point in history where Celestia had killed, but Luna had clearly been more willing. Or at the very least Sleipnir believes it to be true. Then there is also the confirmation he is old fashioned as you might expect and has a herd. And that he wanted both Celestia and Luna to join it. Then he smiled.
"Lets get you cleaned up, then I can talk about air magic."
I smiled. "I'd like that."
He laughed. "Of course. I can tell deep down you aren't that different from the filly who followed me around constantly barraging me with questions."
I just smiled. My mood was beginning to lift, but then I realized I was having trouble moving. I looked down to see the slobber hardening. It looked a great deal like solid stone. Oh no. Stone wolf means his spit must be full of stone and when it dries some magic must clearly make if form a covering.
"Yes, best hurry. Don't worry, it's not actually petrifying you."