Paradox
Holding my head I looked around a dark cave arrayed in skulls, "Damn…what...the Hel happened?" All I could remember was falling asleep in Asgard on my bed, was this a dream? "I had better pinch myself…" Pinching myself I jumped, rubbing my shoulder, "Ow…nope, not dreaming…but where am I?" Looking at my clothes I noticed I had changed somehow, instead of the green silk pajamas I went to bed in, I was in a black robe with a dark blue dress that looked almost Greek. Running my fingers through my hair I found them getting caught, "What?" my hair was its natural curl, but atleast it was still a dark brown. Starting to walk I found my right leg chained to something that was deep inside the cave. Tugging furiously at the chain, I heard a deep growl, stopping I started to walk to the end of the chain, coming face to face with a Cerberus.
Falling backwards I also noticed sandals on my feet, but my heart fell, or nearly leapt out of my chest as I saw the beast rise up to eighteen feet, its heads staring down at me, its pitch black fur sleeked back, red eyes blaring, the chain was around the its ankle of its right foot. Standing up again I tried to multiply, but nothing happened, "What, I can't use my powers?" Seeing that Cerberus wasn't going to do anything I sat, only to be pulled up by two boys. They looked about eleven, one with red hair and clothing, the other with blue hair and clothing, however, something was strange about them, they had devil horns, a tail, and small wings coming out their backs."
The one with the blue hair spoke, wagging his finger, "I see you're up, might as well take you to him, wouldn't you think Morsus?" The boy with red hair grinned, showing a set of pointed teeth, "Quite right Panicus!" Rolling my eyes, gritting my teeth, becoming impatient, "Where am I? You'd better tell me or I'll use my ice powers to freeze you to Hel!" The two boys just started laughing, each of them taking one of my hands nearly pulling me down. I was growing more impatient, "Where are you taking me?" Looking back I noticed the chain had disappeared. Looking over to my right I saw a black and gray river, nearly sending a shiver up my spine, I saw what looked like souls come out, swallowing hard, "What the fuck is that?"
The blue boy, apparently by the name of Panicus turned towards me, "That, that is the River Styx, how do you not know that?" The red boy, apparently by the name of Morsus smacked Panicus, "Shut up you idiot, don't tell her!" I sought the opportunity to try and get away, shaking heavily as I ran, "What in Valhalla? This can't be happening!" Looking back I noticed the two boys were still quarreling, but these sandals were getting hard to run in. Viewing the lake again I saw a boat with a skeleton for a rower, standing in the back, and someone in the front, standing stalwart who misted away.
Tripping I landed face first on the ground, still shaking I glanced upwards to see a man with black hair sleeked back in a black suit with a red tie, a pin on his suit, he was tall, at least six foot six. I looked closer looking at the pin that had Greek lettering I somehow managed to read that said "ΗΕΛΛ" (HELL).He was a stern looking man, I could see the muscles under his suit even. Swallowing hard I whispered, "Eta…Epsilon…Lambda…Lambda…What in Valhalla?" The man just laughed, lip twitching up to a smile, "Valhalla? Here it's Olympus my dear…" I could feel pain inside of me, I wanted to throw up, "Where is my father?"
I could hear him murmur, "The paradox should have made her forget…" Raising his voice a little more, "I am your father…Aurore…" Standing straight up fire embellished in my palms, "Go to Hel! You-are-not-my father!" Putting a hair behind my ear he chimed, "But I am, now stay in the boat like a good girl…" My heart leapt in my throat when I saw we were suddenly in the boat with the dead rower, sitting hard on the seat I screamed with my head down, "Loki!" Tears streamed down my cheeks as I sobbed. The man sat next to me, rubbing my back, his clothes turning to a black robe, "Loki? Loki is Norse…Why would you say his name? You-are-my daughter…"
Pulling away from him I stood at the edge of the boat, my foot going in, souls starting to grab at it, my foot aging by fifty years, the man pulling me back, holding me close, "No, no, you remember that the River Styx isn't for swimming in…" We stopped at a throne like area that had columns of black marble, an area that was all open, the columns were of black marble, the sides of the area decorated in bones, skeletons for soldiers lined up and down, fire blazing in cauldrons, and at the end, two throne seats made of polished marble that was an onyx color. Leading me out, I noticed Panicus and Morsus were waiting by the throne. I stood stupefied as I saw a naked man, back to us being tormented by Panicus and Morsus, the man looked no older than twenty six, but as the man in the black robe walked me to a seat, he sat down himself, I saw a knife in the man's head, sending my stomach spiraling as each drop of blood fell from his head. Turning my head I threw up, more tears falling from my face.
"So, you died twelve hours ago and wish to go through the gates? You were…a thief, a murderer, but died at the hands of a child…" Sneering, the man in the black robe tapped his fingers on the arm of the throne, "Pathetic…rid of him…" Panicus and Morsus danced around him, starting to make the man boil and scream, begging for mercy, "Hades! Lord Hades, please!" I shot straight out of my chair, eyes quivering in my skull, "Hades…oh gods…oh gods!" As I watched the man boil before my eyes and melt away, Panicus and Morsus went to Hades side, as I whispered to myself, "A Paradox…but I was asleep…no…he replaced my memory, Thor…Thor hated me, he had to have done this!" Turning towards Hades I bellowed, "This…this…in this world I am your daughter!"
Hades just smiled, "Yes, you are, and there is no escaping, someone sent you here, I won't say who, but you can't go back…and…I thought you loved chaos?" My palms gripped together, growing sweaty, "Not this! This is crude! I want my father!" Rising out of his seat, his voice was devilish, blue fire blazed about his body, "I am your father! You will live here as a princess of darkness, of the underworld!" Shaking my head, my hands erupted with fire, "You take me back…or I kill myself…and you know what happens then!" Hades then didn't look too confident, gritting his teeth a ball of yellow fire burst from his hand at me, "I…will have you back…and you won't remember anything next time…"
Wincing I closed my eyes, expecting to die, but when I opened my eyes I found myself back in my bed, in Asgard, in green pajamas. Tears flowed down my face, I was both happy and scared, with Hades words still ringing in my ears I threw back my covers and ran down the hall to Loki's room, realizing hardly any time had passed at all and how easy it was for Hades to get to me. Throwing open the door, nearly scaring Loki to death, jumping on the bed I wrapped my arms around him tightly. Stroking my hair back, which was straightened again, he started to calm me, "It's okay…I'm here…"
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