Summary:
The Time Thief. An ancient and cruel spirit. Once a pure, revered being, the spirit has mastered the forbidden spell, hidden away by Asgardians centuries ago- the theft of time, through use of blood. Each drop of blood you lose at his hands...takes away a portion of your remaining lifetime. Hellbent on bringing about chaos to take revenge for his exile, this spirit decides to make his mark on what he believes to be the weakest realm...Midgard.
Now, before we begin, here is the background to this fanfiction. If this story receives enough reviews/feedback, I will make a prequel.
I am adding this in so you understand the relationships between the characters.
Story Background:
In this story, Odin had a brother once, called Dagr. Dagr was his elder brother, who fought alongside Odin against the Frost Giants. Whilst Thor and Loki grew, Dagr came to find his speciality within the Dark Arts. His interest was deemed scholarly, until he found an ancient text containing the ultimate forbidden magic.
Theft of time, through use of blood. Where every drop of blood you spilled at the casters hand took a portion of your remaining life. Discovering this, Odin had no choice but to banish Dagr. Dagr grew angry, and rage filled. He set to kill all in his path, using the theft of time. Odin was barely able to kill him, and sentence him to an eternity in Hel.
Odin constantly feared his brothers return whilst his children grew up. His fear grew when Loki showed a talent and interest for magic. He initially shunned Loki, but Frigga convinced Odin. Odin eventually warmed to Loki, and even shared some spells his parents had taught him.
When Loki found out his heritage, he tried to cast himself off the bifrost bridge. (Therefore, he did not destroy Jotunheime- that was the work of Dagr.)
However, with Mjolnir, Thor retrieved his brother, just as the vortex closed. Loki, shaken, and still angered, hid himself away for days on end. Thor eventually coaxed him out for a quest, where they retrieved fearsome beasts to use their meat for a feast. The gratitude of the people somewhat brightened Loki's spirit, and he even found friendship in a maid, secretly a sorceress, Sigyn.
Years passed, until Heimdall saw the Chitauri preparing to invade Earth, searching for a new home. Loki and Sigyn, by this point, were courting, and Thor had visited Jane to propose her moving to Asgard. The two decided to aid the humans, and travelled to Earth, where they met the Avengers, and found lifelong friends.
After the battle, even though they had to part ways, they regularly visited their mortal friends. Thor and Loki even brought the Avengers to their weddings, Loki to Sigyn, and Thor to Jane. However, their visits grew less frequent, having to look after their children. Visits dwindled to once a month, once every three months, twice a year, and then once a year.
They have not seen their friends in five or six years, although Odin's crows will take letters through the Bifrost to the mortals.
Yes, this is a next-generation story. However, the storyline, plot, and villain are carefully thought out.
Phew, long author's note done. Had to be done though. Hope you're still reading! Just a little description left to go before we get to the good stuff:
Tony & Pepper Stark: Have one son, Alex, age 17. Extremely smart, although he has, unfortunately, to his mother's chagrin, inherited Tony's wit and cockiness. Whilst he looks almost exactly like Tony, Alex has ginger hair, like his mother. Alex is a respectable 5"9, and likes to keep fit. Currently working on a suit which amplifies the five senses, and increases physical strength.
Thor & Jane: One son, Magni, human equivalent age of 17. Magni stands at 6 feet tall, with brown hair like his mother, and blue eyes like his father. He, apart from appearance, is almost an exact copy of his father. Magni works out regularly.
Bruce & Betty Banner: One son, Adam. Betty, a long time friend of Bruce, became Bruce's wife not long after the battle with the Chitauri. She, unfortunately, died giving birth to Adam, who was born with incredible super strength- he, luckily, did not inherit his father's 'other side'. Adam is 6 feet tall, and deceivingly slim, despite his superhuman capabilities. Adam has short, curly hair like his father, but it is a light shade of brown, like his late mother. Adam is also 17.
Steve & Maria Rogers: One daughter, Stephanie. She inherited her father's super strength, speed, and super soldier abilities. Maria is Maria Hill- she and Steve got along very well, and it was a year or so after the battle that they eventually married. Stephanie stands at a reasonable 5"10, wears her hair short like Maria, yet her features have more resemblance to her father. She has blonde hair, and blue eyes, like Steve. She is also 17. Like her parents, she enjoys a good workout.
Clint & Natasha Barton: Hawkeye and Black Widow. They married a year or so after the Chitauri attack, and have twins, Katherine and Damian. Both have curly, red hair like their mother, but they have their father's skin tone and eyes. Both stand at 5"11. Katherine took an interest in archery, whilst Damian, strangely enough, excelled more at his mother's gymnastic and espionage skills.
Loki & Sigyn: One daughter. Skadi. Born from two master sorcerers, Skadi inherited the strength of her parents. She was born, like any sorcerer, with a magical 'core'- a place to build the energy to perform magic. Hers was so strong, that she was rather ill for the first year or so of her life, the power initially too much for one with such a small body. Over the years, she took lessons with her parents, and surpassed them several years ago. She inherited her father's mythical spear, Gungnir. Skadi now stands at 5"11, with the slender, slightly curved body akin to her mothers. Her hair is naturally wavy, like Sigyn, but her hair is raven black, like Loki, and her eyes are a bright bottle green.
If you enjoy this, please, please leave a review. For an author, it is incredible to see feedback on their work.
Any reviews/feedback is appreciated. This is the result of six drafts, hours of research into Norse Mythology, and well over month or two of writing, to perfect it. Please, any review, even constructive criticism, is welcome. I worked extremely hard on this, and I love it deeply.
(Not all chapters will usually be this long. I hope to reach an average of 2000-3000 words a chapter, if I update once a week. Yes, this chapter has been posted before, but I deleted and reposted the story with a new chapter, on impulse. I greatly regret that, so it is back.
Word Count (Excluding the Author's Note): 6,446 words
HERE WE GO!
The air was tense in Asgard's High Council, for they had all been informed of a great and terrible news. Odin All father's brother, the traitorous Dagr, had escaped Hel's clutches. The idea of Dagr rising from death was unprecedented, and so the council argued, much to the chagrin of Asgard's leader, Thor, and his advisor, his brother, Loki.
"Can we not speak of this in a calm manner?" Thor demanded.
"Pardon, my lord, but this matter...Dagr...the Time Thief..." Elder Asgeir, head of the High Council, rose slowly to his feet.
"I am well aware of the Time Thief's misdeeds." Thor nodded. "And if the other elders can find it within them to be calm, we can find a solution to this."
At Thor's words, the other council members grew embarrassed at their fearful conduct, and took their seats.
"The magic Dagr possesses was already at a great level during his reign of terror, but it may have grown since he escaped Hel." Loki spoke up.
"So, my lords, what are we to do?" Elder Asgeir calmed himself.
"Well, as you all know, Asgard's relationships with the other realms has grown strained. You were all made aware of the attacks on our 'outposts'." Loki stood. "Therefore nor I or Thor can leave the realm to combat Dagr."
"My brother is right. We are on the brink of war with seven of our eight sister realms. If we do not eliminate Dagr soon, Ragnarok may occur before its time." Thor's expression darkened.
"But- my king, if you nor Loki can leave...who can we spare to...deal...with Dagr?" Elder Eitri, second only to Elder Asgeir, stammered.
"Our soldiers, while well trained, are nowhere near skilled enough to-"
Loki interrupted Elder Asgeir, by holding up his hand.
"I did not mention sending soldiers." Loki smirked.
"Who else? The Warriors Three, perhaps?" Elder Eitri suggested.
"Whilst they are skilled, none of them have sufficient knowledge of the delicate art of sorcery." Loki motioned for both Elders to sit down, the other council members sitting in respectful silence. "And, before you voice that, Elder Asgeir, my wife is needed here, to act as a mediator with Lady Jane, when we negotiate the treaties once more."
"My brother spoke to me before this meeting, about who we would agree to send." Thor spoke with a regretful tone.
"We would send...my daughter." Loki's expression bore sadness.
"The princess?" The council reacted in unison.
"Indeed." Loki nodded.
"She is your heir!" Elder Asgeir argued.
"I am aware of that." Loki sounded amused.
"We cannot send her!" Elder Eitri was enraged. "She is-"
"An incredibly powerful sorceress." Thor glared.
"Her skills are impressive, but...the spell Dagr uses...the forbidden use of stealing time.." Elder Eitri's voice trailed off.
"The spell of the Time Thief. The theft of time through use of blood, cannot be undone. The spell, even if combatted by a powerful sorceror, cannot be unravelled. Unless-" Elder Asgeir's eyes widened.
"Do not finish that sentence. My daughter knows how to unravel the spell. She will be leaving to fight him." Loki swallowed.
"She will not be alone. I shall be sending my son to ensure her safety..." Thor noticed Loki's expression. "...not that she can't protect herself."
"Both of your children, my lords? They are the heirs to Asgard's throne! If they fail, there is no one to lead Asgard in your stead." Elder Hrothgar, usually quiet in meetings, graced the hall with his voice.
"We are confident that they will not fail." Thor reassured the aging man.
"It has also dawned on me that we do not even have an idea where Dagr will strike!" Elder Eitri intervened.
"Are you all truly such imbeciles?" A voice sounded in the room, unseen.
Loki held back his laughter.
"Who insults the council?" Elder Hrothgar was enraged.
"It is not an insult, for it is the truth." Skadi, Loki's daughter, appeared in front of the immense glass window of the room, the slight green aura surrounding her quickly dissipating.
"How long have you been listening, princess?" Elder Eitri's face reddened.
"The entire meeting thus far." Skadi adjusted her armour.
"You call us imbeciles?" Elder Asgeir fumed, his rage barely contained.
"Yes. You wonder where Dagr may strike, yet the answer is glaringly obvious." Skadi removed her helmet. "Midgard. It is the most vulnerable of all the realms."
"How so? The brave warriors who fought alongside your father and uncle are formidable." Elder Asgeir motioned for his aide, a young, amateur sorceror, to give up his seat for the princess.
Once Skadi was seated, the meeting continued.
"They are indeed formidable. However, like the warriors three, their understanding of the deeper details of magic is rudimentary." Skadi explained, placing her armour on the table.
"That is unfortunately correct." Loki nodded.
"I agree." Thor approved.
"That is not the reason they are the most vulnerable, however. Midgard is not aware that Dagr exists. He was removed from all Viking myths and mortal legends. We other eight realms only know because we suffered his attacks." Skadi continued.
"They do not know the threat he poses to them!" Elder Asgeir's eyes widened.
"That is why myself and my cousin must go. We can inform the Midgardian 'Avengers' of this threat, and rally their forces." Skadi rose to her feet. "As we speak, my cousin, the prince, is preparing supplies for us. I aim to leave as soon as this meeting is adjourned."
"So soon?" Elder Eitri spoke up. "What about a ceremony? A farewell?"
"The citizens of our fair realm are unaware of Dagr's return. To avoid panic, it must stay that way. Our leaving will be kept secret, until such a time we return." Skadi reasoned.
"I do agree with that, princess, but how shall we cover for your departure?" Elder Asgeir enquired.
"Tell the people we are simply visiting our midgardian allies for the anniversary of the Chitauri battle, which I believe quickly approaches." Skadi answered.
"A half truth. That is most wise." Elder Asgeir agreed.
"Pardon, my lords." Elder Eitri rose to his feet. "What of Lady Jane and Lady Sigyn? Are they aware of this?"
"That is a thought on my mind, also." Elder Asgeir nodded.
"They...they are not pleased." Loki admitted. "Mothers...they worry."
The council murmured their agreement.
"Yet, they have agreed." Thor continued.
"Truly?" Elder Asgeir was surprised.
"They know as well as we do, that there is no other option here. As I said before, our wives are needed- we need mediators for when we attempt to renew the peace treaties." Loki carried on.
"That...is true. Their words of wisdom are needed here, lest a war occur." Elder Asgeir agreed, reluctantly.
After a moment of silence, the meeting continued.
"Are we all satisfied with this decision?" Thor rose to his feet.
The council talked amongst themselves for a few minutes, until Elder Asgeir voiced the verdict.
"We will bow to this decision." The elder bowed his head.
"We are agreed. Then, this meeting is adjourned." Loki motioned for the council to leave.
As the council members filed out, Loki asked for one of them to send Magni, along with the gathered supplies, to the council room they stood in.
"That was...easier than I anticipated." Skadi sighed with relief, leaning back on her chair.
"You did well convincing them." Thor praised.
"It was amusing to see their initial reactions." Skadi grinned, running her fingers through her hair.
"COUSIN!" a loud voice boomed.
Dropping their bags at the room's entrance, Magni sped across the room, and launched himself at his cousin. (In fact, the two of them were as close as brother and sister). The force knocked Skadi over, and the two toppled over, chair and all, much to the amusement of their parents, and the chagrin of Skadi.
"Magni, you oaf!" Skadi complained, as she struggled out of the hug, rising to her feet.
"I am not an oaf!" Magni protested, as he also rose to his feet.
When they noticed each other's armour, they wore amused expressions.
"I see you mimicked my idea, wearing our father's armours." Skadi nodded her approval.
"It might help when we see the mortals, it will be familiar sights." Magni dusted himself off.
"As I said before." Skadi smiled.
"Are we permitted to leave?" Magni asked Thor.
"Not quite yet." Thor bent down to pick up an item by his chair. Loki did the same, pulling an item out from under the table.
"We wish for you to take these." Loki held out the item.
Magni and Skadi were shocked into silence. Their fathers were holding before them...Mjolnir...the famed hammer, forged in the heart of a dying star...and Gungnir...the powerful, mystical spear.
"What is this?" Skadi swallowed.
"As we said...we wish you to take these." Thor and Loki spoke in unison.
"These are your weapons...we are not worthy." Magni's voice quietened.
"You are. You are ready to...risk yourselves, for the sake of ridding the realms of Dagr's existence. That...sacrifice alone...deems you worthy." Loki winced at the word 'sacrifice', although it did accurately describe the situation- they were sacrificing the normality and luxury of their lives to take down Dagr.
Thor, with a warm smile, stepped forward, and knelt down in front of Magni, who seemed shocked at the gesture. The thunder god placed Mjolnir on the floor beside them, before embracing his son. Before long, tears were spilling from both of their eyes. After a moment, Thor withdrew from the hug, and stepped away, standing straight. Magni, with trembling hands, reached forward to seize Mjolnir with both hands. His eyes showing his nerves, Magni lifted Mjolnir from the floor, his eyes widening as he picked it up with ease.
Thor looked on proudly, as his son stared at the weapon.
A grin soon crossing his face, Magni turned to face Skadi.
Loki stepped forward, and also knelt, holding up Gungnir. Without a word, Skadi silently picked up the weapon, swallowing hard, so as not to lose control over her emotions. A moment passed, and Skadi put the weapon down, before embracing her father. After a minute, the two separated, Skadi picking up Gungnir as they rose to their feet.
"Do not forget this." Loki picked up Skadi's helmet, before placing it on her head.
"It makes me look like a cow." Skadi huffed.
"Thor would say that to me when I wore it, but trust in me- it looks good on you." Loki smiled. "Intimidating."
"Truly?" Skadi raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
"Very well."
"Cousin, are you ready to depart?" Magni wore one bag over his shoulder.
"If you are." Skadi took her bag as Magni tossed it to her.
"In that case, we shall escort you to the bifrost. Your mother and Lady Jane will be waiting for us." Loki put a hand on Skadi's shoulder.
As the four reunited with Jane and Sigyn, in the golden sphere of the Bifrost, there was a somber feel in the air. Few words were spoken, as Jane and Sigyn embraced their children, holding them tight...until it was finally time to let go. All the parents shed tears, but managed to keep themselves mostly together, for the sake of their children.
"The tower is visible from any point in the city. You should have no trouble finding it." Loki reassured the two younger Asgardians.
"The mortals have not seen Asgardians for some time." Thor's voice grew stern.
"Anticipate a hostile reaction. Do you both remember what to say?" Loki asked.
"Yes, we do." Skadi and Magni spoke in unison.
"We are all so proud of you." Sigyn's eyes were brimming with tears.
"Be safe." Jane swallowed.
"I will watch over them." Heimdall, face now bearing a few wrinkles, smiled warmly, eyes shining.
"Let's go." Magni took Skadi's hand within his own free hand.
"We will be back." Skadi looked back one last time, before they were whisked away, into the colorful kaleidoscope of the Bifrost.
Down on Midgard, also known as 'Earth', the city of Manhattan was bustling with life. As the city approached the anniversary of the Chitauri attack, that happened so many years ago, people arrived from all corners of the globe, preparing for the commemoration of the Avengers' victory. As such, people were everywhere, particularly in the famous Central Park. Families, reuniting with distant relatives to celebrate the victory, were gathered in the park to enjoy the scenery. Even Steve Rogers was there with his family, enjoying the beautiful day.
The atmosphere, while busy, was rather peaceful, until dark clouds began to gather above the park, swirling in a whirlpool-like motion. Seeing this strange phenomena, people began to cry out, gasping as bright colors flashed like lightning. As families began to stare, terrified, Steve rose to his feet, recognizing what was to happen.
"Everyone, back away from the center!" Steve shouted as loudly as he could.
Recognizing the Captain, everyone began to dissipate from the center, moving to the edges of the vast green area. A tornado-like swirl descended, creating an intense tremor upon contact with the ground. Some people were knocked off of their feet, the loud blast able to be heard throughout the city. After a moment, the whirl dissipated, retracting up into the clouds, as the skies turned blue once more.
It took a further moment for the smoke to disappear, but once it had, the park was stunned into silence.
"Cousin, the mortals are staring." Magni whispered to Skadi.
The two were indeed the center of attention, some Midgardians even taking out strange cubes which flashed, and showing their fellow mortals the strange objects. Most looked surprised, a few scared, yet one looked familiar. Frowning, Skadi soon recognized one blonde man as Steve Rogers. She barely remembered the last time they met, but there was no doubt that it was him.
"Let me do the talking." Skadi gave her bag to Magni. "Follow me."
As the two proceeded forward, walking towards Steve, the crowds parted before them, like the red sea. It took a few minutes, as the crowds had grown so large, but eventually, they were a mere few meters from the Captain.
"You are Steve Rogers?" Skadi inquired.
"Yes..." Steve narrowed his eyes.
Focusing on the two Asgardians, Steve's eyes widened, as memories clicked into place.
"You're...you're Loki and Thor's..." Steve was stunned. It had been so long since he had seen the two Asgardians.
"You are correct. It has been...six years, I believe." Skadi removed her helmet.
"No way." Stephanie, Steve's daughter, stepped forward.
"I was concerned you may not recognize us." Skadi smiled, helmet under her free arm.
"Why are you here?" Maria approached. "Thor and Loki did not contact us."
"Well, this was a rather last moment decision." Skadi sighed. "I am sorry, but we are not here for a visit. There are grave...issues...that I must inform your team about."
"Grave issues?" Steve frowned.
"Yes, we are here about-" Magni started.
Skadi quickly covered the blonde's mouth.
"Not here." Skadi hissed. She turned back to Steve. "If you would take us to your tower, we will explain. The issue calls for a more...private setting."
"I'll call for a car, and I'll let Stark know." Maria ran towards the park's entrance, dialing on a strange metal device.
"Follow me." Steve nodded to the two Asgardians.
Ignoring the awed hush from the crowd, the group moved towards the park's entrance.
The atmosphere in the SHIELD truck was rather awkward. Skadi had to try several times to fit Gungnir in the vehicle, whilst Magni soon began to suffer from motion sickness. (Much to his cousin's amusement.) No one really spoke, for none of them knew what to say. Even the driver, who was no doubt used to strange happenings, seemed rather afraid of the two Asgardians, Skadi in particular.
"How can you get sick from this vehicle?" Skadi raised an eyebrow, helmet sitting on her lap. "How does your father expect you to fly with Mjolnir?"
"I do not like confined spaces." Magni retorted, his face a pale green.
"If you feel the need to be ill, please say so. I would prefer avoiding ruining my armor." Skadi smirked.
Magni did not reply. Instead, he focused on Mjolnir, which he gripped tightly.
"How are Thor and Loki? We have not had a letter for a month." Maria spoke up.
"They are fine, and in good health, as are Lady Jane and my mother." Skadi answered.
"Good to hear." Steve nodded.
The captain seemed about to say something, before he thought better of it. Noticing his hesitation, Skadi spoke up.
"Speak, Captain. I can tell there is something on your mind." she gestured for him to speak.
"Well...Loki wasn't an Asgardian...and I was just wondering if you were the same." Steve was careful with his words.
"Why so interested?" Skadi was amused.
"Just...curious. Sorry if I offended you." Steve went red.
"It's no problem, Captain." Skadi smiled warmly.
"So...are you?" Stephanie pursued the question.
"You are asking if I am Jotun?" Skadi found the mortal's curiosity somewhat funny.
"I guess."
"Then yes, I am. Despite my mother being Asgardian, I inherited my father's Jotun nature. Frost giant genes are usually the most dominant."
"That's...pretty cool."
"It is. Although the younger asgardians are sometimes afraid of what we look like."
"Afraid?"
"Jotun, as a species, can be rather intimidating."
"Can I see?"
"Stephanie!" Steve was worried Skadi would be annoyed with the continued questions.
"Perhaps when we get to know one another better." Skadi nodded.
"Fair enough." Stephanie swallowed.
The rest of the journey was silent...except for Magni's heavy breathing, an attempt to control his motion sickness.
Upon arrival in the courtyard of the Avengers Tower, the group could see the other members of the team waiting, at the top of the steps. As the automatic gates closed behind them, the large SUV slowly grinded to a halt. Giving an encouraging smile to Magni, who returned the gesture, Skadi picked up her helmet, and managed to manouever Gungnir as she stepped out of the vehicle, attempting to smile at their still nervous chauffeur.
"Holy shit." one voice could be heard.
"Alex!" another voice, female, scolded.
"Magni, are you well?" Skadi turned back to face the doors of the vehicle, where Magni was slowly making his way out.
"I do not like these midgardian vehicles." Magni complained, pulling Mjolnir out of the car, and holding it tight.
"They are not so bad." Skadi shrugged.
Once Steve, Maria, and Stephanie had exited the vehicle, the chauffeur hurried off.
"This isn't how I planned to spend my day." Skadi recognized the voice of Tony Stark.
"I think some of the crowds followed us." Steve gestured to the flashing cameras at the gates.
"We should go inside." Tony gestured for everyone to follow.
Tony reasoned that a conference room was the best place to talk, and so the large group followed Tony to the largest of the conference rooms, situated near the top of the tower, and surrounded by large glass windows.
"Impressive." Magni nodded as they all filed into the room.
"It is." Skadi agreed. "Although midgardian architecture is somewhat...strange."
The two took the two seats at the North head of the table, whilst the rest found their own seats. As soon as they were all sitting comfortably, Skadi and Magni rose to their feet, placing their weapons down on the table, Skadi also removing her helmet. As the room went silent, Fury flashed up on the table, his head and torso showing as a flickering hologram.
"Director...Fury, I believe." Skadi nodded.
Fury nodded, in respect, back.
"Let's get to the chase." the Director spoke bluntly, yet still with respect.
"I know you are wondering why we are here." Skadi began.
"Well, yeah. This is a surprise. We haven't seen you all for what, six years?" Tony spoke first.
"It has been many years." Magni agreed.
"Yet, we are, unfortunately, not here for a happy reunion." Skadi's expression darkened.
"That doesn't sound good." Alex, Tony's son, looked nervous.
"I am afraid you are right. We do not bring good news." Skadi sighed. "We are here to warn you of an approaching threat."
"A threat?" Fury frowned.
"A great threat. He is a great danger to all the realms, but Midgard, especially so." Magni nodded.
"He?" Natasha spoke up.
"We are here to inform, and warn you all, of an enemy who has threatened the nine realms before." Skadi smoothed down her armour. "His name is Dagr, although he goes by the title of 'The Time Thief'."
"The Time Thief?" Adam, Bruce and Betty's son, sounded concerned, but also confused.
"We will start from the beginning." Skadi cleared her throat. "Dagr is Odin Allfather's blood brother. He was once adored by our people, loved by many in the realms...but he unfortunately took a liking to the...darker side of sorcery. His love for the dark arts grew too deep, and before long, he committed the greatest taboo. He broke into the Vault below Asgard, and found an ancient tome, which contained the runes for the taboo."
"Taboo?" Adam frowned.
"Yes. The greatest atrocity a sorcerer...or any being...could commit." Magni's tone grew angered.
"The theft of time itself." Skadi remained calm.
"Is that even possible?" Tony's eyes widened.
"It is. The theft of time is the taboo I spoke of. It involves taking a being's life, their time...through the use of blood." Skadi swallowed.
When the others went pale, Skadi paused, and waited for the initial shock of the statement to wear off.
"The spell, once cast, allows the sorcerer, or sorceress, to take another being's time. Every drop of your blood that is spilled by the caster's hand...takes away a portion of what remains of your lifetime." Skadi continued.
"It is a practice that was banned long before Odin's time." Magni added.
"How much time is taken away?" Bruce looked faintly green.
"It is taken at random. You could lose but a second, or an entire decade." Skadi answered. "Dagr learned this magic, and grew more powerful than he was before, but, of course, his actions were shunned, and the Allfather exiled him."
"In an anger-fueled rage, Dagr lay waste to eight of the nine realms." Magni continued.
"Why not us?" Steve spoke up.
"I second Cap here. Why would he leave us out?" Fury inquired.
"He perceived your realm as worthless. At that time, none of us knew of this realm's strengths." Skadi winced at the angry expressions the others took on. "So he left your realm alone. He did not become one of your legends, as many of the Asgardians have become."
"He was eventually stopped by the Allfather, who was barely able to kill him. Dagr was sentenced to an eternity in Hel." Magni carried on the tale.
"Hell?" Clint looked somewhat horrified.
"Yes. A realm in which fire burns eternally. Where wrong-doers are sent to spend the remainder of time." Skadi nodded. "Our goddess of death, Hela, guards Hel. She is extremely powerful, and in all her thousands of years, none have escaped her grasp...except..."
"Except Dagr...I'm guessing." Stephanie's voice was quiet.
"Yes...sadly, Dagr managed to slip away, through a near unnoticeable root of Yggdrasil." Skadi folded her arms.
"What-" Damian sounded confused.
"Yggdrasil is the Great Tree, whose roots hold together the Nine Realms. Sorcerers of great power can travel along these roots, which are otherwise hidden from sight." Skadi explained. "Which further proves how dangerous Dagr is."
"So this...Dagr, is the danger you're warning us about. Why is he coming after us, after all this time?" Maria inquired.
"Your realm does not know of his existence, save for you grouped here. You are an easy target." Magni informed.
An uneasy silence covered the next few moments, before Fury finally spoke.
"When will he come?" the intimidating man asked.
"We do not know the precise day which he will arrive, but I anticipate he will be here within the year, perhaps even sooner. His movements are unpredictable, even more so, now he is hidden from Heimdall." Skadi sat back down, knuckling her forehead. Magni also took his seat once more.
"Thor said that Heimdall guy can see everything. Why can't he see Dagr? That would make things a hell of alot easier." Tony swallowed.
"Dagr, as I said before, travels along the raw roots of Yggdrasil. Only a few have the energy in them to see. Heimdall is an incredibly powerful guardian, but he is a warrior, not a sorcerer." Skadi sighed.
"So we've got an all-powerful-" Tony started.
"He is not all powerful." Skadi looked up, eyes flashing to red, and staying that dark colour. "He can be stopped, by a singular way. The spell must be unraveled, rune by rune."
"You...can you do that?" Katherine, sister to Damian, asked, staring in wonder at the sorceress's blood red eyes.
"It will take time, and I will only be able to do so in Dagr's presence." Skadi's eyes returned to green as she composed herself. "But it can be done."
"Then...there's some hope." Steve breathed out. "If there is a way to stop him, what is the plan for battle?"
"As I said, he is unpredictable...but my father did have an idea." Skadi cleared her throat. "When Dagr does begin to show himself, there will be panic. People will turn to us for answers. They will not like what they hear."
"You, the Avengers, will need to help control the panic. You will go to wherever people need comforting." Magni continued.
"We'll be away when he attacks. How does that help?" Steve sounded slightly confused.
"Your children, Magni, and myself, will lead the frontal attack." Skadi grimaced as she anticipated the reactions.
"Absolutely not." Steve rose to his feet.
"That will not happen." Tony agreed, also standing.
One by one, voicing their complaints, the Avengers rose to their feet, soon arguing amongst themselves. As Skadi began to tap her fingers on the table, attempting to restrain herself, Magni tried to calm them all down, begging the Director to help back them up, but even Fury could not stop the worries of the parents. Several minutes passed, as the older team argued, some saying it should happen, the others saying they would not let it happen. The debate escalated, and so eventually, Skadi stood. Magni chuckled as his cousin's skin shifted to a dark blue, the ridged markings of a Jotun appearing, as her eyes became blood red once more. Reaching up, with her right hand clenched into a fist, Skadi slammed her hand into the table.
A gust of frosty air rushed forwards, frost dancing from underneath her fist, crawling along the table. The sharp, cold air shocked the Avengers back to their senses, and, one by one, they turned back to face Magni and Skadi, shocked at the latter's appearance.
"You are all rather...arrogant." Skadi, voice deeper in this form, retained her Jotun appearance, so as to keep the calm, through shock. "You will not let your children even voice their opinions on the matter? I believe they are mature enough to do so."
"Mature? They're not even 18 yet!" Steve protested, much to the chagrin of his daughter.
"In Asgard, age is no concern. If a warrior, if any person, proves worthy, and has great skill, then they are allowed to join the warrior's ranks when they feel ready." Magni reasoned.
"Well, with all due respect, we are not on Asgard." Steve attempted to remain respectful.
"Cap...I agree with our friends here. Let the kids say something." Fury spoke up.
"Thank you, for backing us, Director." Skadi and Magni spoke in unison, Fury nodding.
"Now, we have calm, I will go around, and ask you all, one by one, what your view on this is." Skadi smiled at the Avengers' children, to reassure them. "Damian, son of Natasha and Clinton, what do you say?"
"I..." Damian looked around at the mix of expressions on his friends and parent's faces, before answering. "I'll do it."
Skadi's eyes widened, and Magni grinned.
"I've been trained since I was a kid, to do great things...now I have the opportunity to prove it was worth it. I'll help." Damian concluded.
"Thank you." Skadi smiled warmly, Damian smiling back.
"Katherine, sister to Damian, what say you?" Magni asked, as Skadi finally sat back down.
"I feel the same way. This is our chance to help, to do something good, so I think we've got to take it." Katherine grinned, slightly nervous.
"Stephanie...will you help?" Skadi asked, voice softening.
"I will." Stephanie replied confidently.
"Stephanie!" Steve turned to face his daughter, shocked.
"Dad, I finally have the opportunity to help people, like you. I'm not backing out of this because you're a little worried." Stephanie rolled her eyes.
"A little worried?" Steve sounded exasperated.
"Adam, son of Bruce, will you aid us?" Magni asked.
"I...uh..." Adam adjusted his glasses, still slightly in awe of Skadi's alien appearance, and Magni's intimidating physique. He turned to look at his father, and mother.
"Do what you feel is right...I won't be able to stop you." Bruce shook his head.
"Then...ok. I'm in." Adam nodded, swallowing nervously.
"Thank you." Skadi turned to Alex.
"Alex, son of Stark. What do you say to this?" Magni asked.
"Fuck yes, I'll help!" Alex spoke enthusiastically. "I mean, this is crazy, and dangerous, but we've got the chance to do something big here. I am in."
"Alex, language." Pepper warned.
"It sounds like it's settled." Fury spoke up.
"It is. Now that we have our team, we only need to sort out what to do in the meantime." Skadi ran her fingers through her hair, Magni now looking slightly spaced out from the intense meeting.
"Well...why don't we do that over a drink?" Tony suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Clint agreed.
"Very well." Skadi smiled.
The group re-assembled in the large bar area of the tower's biggest living room, some of them sitting on the plush sofas, others sitting on the bar stools. Magni and Skadi opted to stand, after sitting for so long, leaning against the room's walls, their Armour, helmets, and bags placed near the door. Skadi had remained in her Jotun form, for she wished for her new companions to grow used to it. As the minutes passed, in polite, general conversation, the atmosphere grew more relaxed, especially as drinks were passed around.
"I would like to say something." Steve spoke eventually, for the first time in half an hour, grabbing everyone's attention. "I am sorry for my behavior back in the meeting."
"You are concerned for your child. It is no different to how my mother acted. Do not worry, Captain." Skadi shook Steve's hand, before realizing the mistake.
Steve shook his hand, as frost began to cover it.
"Did that hurt?" Skadi asked, concerned. "I apologize- I did not think."
"It's fine...cool trick, actually." Steve smiled, shaking the ice crystals off of his hand.
"One time, she nearly froze this maiden in Asgard." Magni grinned.
"Really?" Tony joined in the conversation.
"I found her cheating on me with a woodland elf. I merely sought revenge." Skadi shrugged.
"Cheating on you?" Tony raised an eyebrow.
"It was disgusting." Skadi shuddered. "The elf was not even female. Well...the look on their faces when they froze together, was somewhat worth the betrayal."
"You froze them when they were having at it?" Tony choked on his drink.
"Yes. I do believe the male elf lost his...parts." Skadi smirked, downing another glass of whisky.
"That's awesome." Tony held up his hand.
"What are you doing?" Skadi asked.
"High five. Just slap my hand." Tony explained.
"Ah! I remember reading about this in a text my father brought from this realm." Skadi put down her drink.
"Don't leave me hanging, high five me already!" Tony grinned.
Skadi did so, laughing as Tony jumped away at the cold.
"So...you a lesbian...or..." Tony's voice tailed off.
"Tony!" Pepper scolded.
"Dad..." Alex cringed.
"Such an intimate question, Stark." Skadi pretended to be offended.
"Sorry." Tony apologized awkwardly.
"I am joking with you, Stark." Skadi laughed. "You humans act so strange when you have drunk alcohol."
"Oh, thank god." Tony was relieved. "And yeah...alcohol...makes me say weird stuff."
"Indeed." Skadi accepted another drink from Tony. "I do not care which gender or species my partner is. If you have a good heart, that is all I care for."
"Wow." Bruce was surprised at how nonchalant Skadi and Magni were about the subject.
"It is rather normal on Asgard. All sexualities are accepted equally." Skadi smiled fondly.
"Impressive." Bruce was surprised. "I wish this place was as accepting."
"So...uh...dude...what about you?" Damian approached Magni.
"I feel the same." Magni shrugged. "Although I do take a liking to elves."
"Elves? Are they like..." Alex got out his phone, and found a picture of a Lord of the Rings elf extra. "This?"
"Very similar. They are most beautiful." Magni boasted.
"Tell me more." Alex grinned eagerly.
As Magni walked off to sit with Alex on one of the leather sofas, Adam shyly approached Skadi, as she sat in an armchair, joining the group of youngsters.
"Hi." Adam sat down next to her.
"Hello." Skadi returned the greeting, sipping her third glass of whisky. "Adam...I believe?"
"Yeah...I'm Adam."
"I can sense your nerves...does my appearance perhaps..." Skadi's skin began to return to a normal Asgardian pallor.
"No, no...you're fine. I mean, you look fine." Adam stammered.
"Thank you...I think." Skadi returned to her Jotun form.
"So..." Stephanie dragged her bean bag over, joining the two, soon followed by Katherine.
Whilst the group gathered, Magni was eagerly describing the beauty of elves to Damian, who listened avidly. The adults talked in the background.
"So?" Skadi prompted.
"This is real." Stephanie finished her first drink.
"It is. Unfortunately. I mean, the reason for us being here is unfortunate." Skadi corrected herself.
"Yeah. That meeting was...pretty intense." Stephanie whistled. "Sorry about my dad."
"Mine too. And my mom." Katherine apologized.
"I have heard worse. Besides, I have accepted their apologies. No need to worry over that." Skadi reassured them.
"What will you guys be doing?" Katherine asked. "While we wait for...Dagr?"
"I am hoping Stark will be able to provide myself and my cousin with temporary living quarters." Skadi answered.
"No problem with that. We all live here, two more is nothing." Stephanie grinned.
"All of you?" Skadi blinked. "Well, this tower is rather large."
"You've only seen part of it." Stephanie laughed.
"Well...now we hopefully have a place to stay..." Skadi thought hard, frost beginning to encase her glass. "What do you mortals do?"
"Well, at the moment, we're all in High School." Katherine answered.
"It sucks." Damian finally joined them, he and Magni dragging the sofa over to the group.
"High School? Is that an educations system?" Magni inquired, taking off his cape, to sit more comfortably.
"I guess." Damian shrugged.
"It blows." Alex sat on the back of the sofa Damian and Magni sat on.
"How are you educated...on Asgard?" Adam spoke up.
"It varies. Being the heirs to the throne, myself and Magni were privately educated by various tutors." Skadi explained. "The other citizens can go to one of two schools. One is centered on raising warriors, after classes, and the other on sorcery. Both are very difficult to enter. Those who don't have the...aptitude..for either, go to a private 'school'. They usually take up apprentice positions."
"So...after your classes...you get to explode things, use swords and shit?" Alex downed his drink.
"That is one way of wording it." Magni chuckled.
"Sweet." Damian whistled.
"Maybe someday you will see for yourselves." Skadi shrugged.
"Really?" Adam's jaw dropped.
"I am sure you will be allowed into Asgard, soon enough. After this is...over, of course." Skadi stretched.
"What is Asgard like? I mean, Thor and Loki told us when we were kids...but..." Adam's voice tailed off.
"Asgard..." Skadi's eyes shone.
A wistful expression made it's way onto Skadi and Magni's faces, as they thought of their home.
"Asgard...is the most beautiful...of all the nine realms." Skadi returned to her Asgardian appearance, as she held out her hands.
As they began to glow, the adults took notice, and soon they approached, forming a circle.
"Woah..." Alex's eyes widened, as the glow brightened.
The golden light soon began to clear...and in it's place, was a hovering image of Asgard, delicately levitating over Skadi's outstretched hands. The image glistened, the lights reflecting off of the golden palace, and the shimmering waterfalls.
"You live there?" Steve swallowed. "It's beautiful."
"It is." Magni felt a tad homesick.
"What about where you come from?" Adam asked Skadi. "I mean...where your father's people...come from?"
Skadi's expression darkened, as the image vanished. The air in the room grew colder, as Skadi returned to her Jotun form.
"It was destroyed in Dagr's first rampage." Skadi gritted her teeth, willing the tears not to fall.
Magni moved to sit on the arm of the chair Skadi sat on, and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"All that remains now...is ruins...only a few Jotun remain...and soon they will be gone." Skadi smiled sadly.
"If Dagr can do that to a planet of giants..." Maria was stunned. "Then Earth..."
"Your realm will not fall." Magni spoke confidently.
"It will not." Skadi agreed.
A moment passed in awed silence.
"Midgard will not fall, as long as we live."