Hermes, the trickster god of Olympus, had long seen through Loki's schemes and Hödr's distortion.
He was happy to play the role of an 'enthusiastic' intermediary.
When Hödr mustered her courage and, with a trembling and aggrieved voice, asked him to deliver a message to Týr, a smile blending sympathy and playfulness appeared on Hermes's face.
"Of course, dear Miss Hödr,"
he saluted gracefully, his voice full of 'sincere' concern.
"It is an honor for me to deliver news for such a wronged lady. Rest assured, I will definitely convey your... pain to His Excellency Týr in detail."
However, the 'original' in Hermes's mouth was destined to become a version meticulously seasoned and processed by him.
He flew to Vanaheimr and found Týr, who was 'intimately instructing' Ares on the training ground.
"Your Excellency Týr,"
Hermes adopted a sad and indignant expression.
"I bring troubling news from your sister, Hödr."
Týr frowned, a flicker of concern in his one eye: "Hödr? What's wrong with her?"
He had always borne the responsibility of a brother for this blind sister.
Hermes took a deep breath, as if it were difficult to speak, and finally said dramatically:
"It's Baldr! He... he took advantage of Miss Hödr's admiration and innocence, seduced her, and made irresponsible promises! But now Miss Hödr's love is deeply rooted, and Baldr... he has ruthlessly turned his face and refused to acknowledge her, throwing your poor, loving sister aside like a broken shoe! Miss Hödr is now weeping in pain, not daring to tell anyone, so she could only ask me to tell you, the most just brother, to confide her grievances!"
The word 'ruthlessly' escaped Hermes's lips with deliberate coarseness, striking Týr's heart.
Týr's face instantly darkened.
He knew Baldr's bright image, but he also knew the filth among the gods.
Given his knowledge of the internal dirt among the Æsir, Týr immediately believed Hermes's message.
The scene described by Hermes—a powerful brother bullying and playing with a weak and helpless blind sister, only to be ruthlessly abandoned afterwards—completely touched his core as the god of justice!
Especially Hödr's vulnerability and unpopularity aroused in Týr a strong desire to protect and an angry sense of justice.
Ares, listening, his eyes flashing red, licked his lips and roared: "I knew it! Those who look glamorous are full of dirty things behind their backs! Týr, can you tolerate this?!"
Hermes: Great delivery, Ares.
Týr clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.
"Baldr..." Týr's voice was like a frozen river, a dull storm rumbling within.
"How dare he do such a thing!"
Without the slightest hesitation, he decided that he must teach Baldr a profound lesson, to make him understand that even the god of light could not simply trample on the hearts of the weak and defile the laws of justice!
The opportunity came quickly.
During a routine walk, Baldr came to a beautiful forest near the border with Vanaheimr.
Týr had been waiting here for a long time.
While Baldr was basking in the sun and receiving the reverent gazes of elves and mortal beings, Týr suddenly burst from the forest shadows like lightning!
"Baldr!" Týr's roar shook the leaves: "Pay for what you've done!"
Baldr turned around in astonishment. Before he could clearly see his opponent, Týr's fist, wrapped in brutal divine power, slammed into his face like a heavy hammer!
Bam!
A dull sound.
Baldr was knocked back, reeling from the blow, a burning pain emanating from his face.
He was stunned, not just by the pain—he hadn't felt any physical harm since taking the oath!
Because it was Týr, his brother, who had always been just, who was attacking him!
"Brother Týr? You..." Baldr tried to speak, his eyes full of confusion and disbelief.
"Shut up! Hypocritical light!"
Týr didn't give him a chance to explain. In his rage, he had completely substituted the 'disgusting' picture described by Hermes, and his offense crashed down like a storm.
Fists, elbows, and merciless blows rained down on Baldr.
Baldr tried to block, but his martial arts were more for show; how could they compare to a war and justice god like Týr, who had fought through seas of corpses and blood?
What's more, the attacks that might have been automatically deflected or neutralized were now firmly impacting his divine body!
Because Týr was the only important god who had not sworn to Frigg to refrain from harming him!
"Why?! Brother Týr! What have I done?" Baldr cried out in pain and shock, completely unaware of the source of this unprovoked disaster.
"You know what you've done!" Týr delivered another powerful blow, hitting Baldr in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.
At this moment, Týr did not want to kill Baldr; he simply wanted to teach this 'bully' who had wronged his sister a severe lesson, to make him taste pain and make him repent.
However, with each blow, he objectively proved one thing: Týr could hurt Baldr.
Baldr's blonde hair was disheveled, his handsome face was bruised, and his exquisite robe was stained with dust and trampled grass, his perfect image shattered.
For the first time, he was so embarrassed, so clearly feeling pain and helplessness.
In the end, Týr said with anger and disappointment: "Go back to Ásgarðr and think about it!"
With this roar, Baldr staggered away from the scene, bearing scars, grievances, and confusion.
When he returned to the Golden Palace with a bruised face, a swollen nose, and a depressed mind, all of Ásgarðr was shocked.
Frigg was the first to run over, and when she saw her beloved son in such a state, her heart nearly broke.
She was furious and sharply asked: "Baldr! My child! Who did this? Who dared to hurt you?! Who broke the oath?!"
Baldr hesitated, and under his mother's stern and heartbroken gaze, finally whispered the name: "It... it was Brother Týr."
"Týr?!" Frigg and the gods were stunned.
If it had been any other god, especially Loki, they would have immediately become agitated and demanded severe punishment.
But it was Týr, the god of justice and oaths, one of the most revered deities.
For a moment, an eerie silence fell over the Golden Palace.
The gods looked at each other, their faces not angry, but thick with doubt and uncertainty.
"Týr... How could he...?"
"Is there some misunderstanding?"
"Baldr, what... what did he do that Týr couldn't tolerate?"
Even Baldr himself, under the subtly suspicious gazes of the gods, began to involuntarily wonder:
What did I do wrong?
Had I really done something unintentional that violated justice and hurt others, making the most just brother Týr so angry?
He sank into deep doubt and confusion.
Deep in the shadows, Hödr 'listened' to the noise and doubt in the Golden Palace, and the corner of her mouth curled into a cold, satisfied arc.
The first step of the plan was a success.
Týr had proven that only he could harm Baldr.
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