Niflheimr, also known as the ice or shadow realm, is one of the two worlds that existed before the beginning of times, along with Muspellheim. It is the ninth in the spectrum of the nine worlds in Norse Mythology and borders only to Helheim.
This world is a place of eternal cold and ice, ruled by the cruel dragon known as Nidhogg.
At the center of Nivlheim, where the longest root of Yggdrasill emerges, the well known as Hvergjelme springs forth from the ground. Despite this wellspring being the first source of life itself in contributing to the creation of Yme, the forces of chaos and destruction are prevalent in Nivlheimr, due to Nidhogg gnawing on the root of the world tree and sucking on the juices of the dead bodies that end up here.
In this realm there lies an area known as Nivlhel, where the dead from Helheim are doomed to wander perpetually to experience the qualms of death over and over.