The Devil you don't Know
Thor is eager to drag Kurt down to the training grounds as soon as the little blue devil tells him about sparring with Captain Rogers. Kurt happily obliges though he asks if he can change into more suitable clothing first. Thor allows him to do so and leads Kurt to a spare room near the throne room where Kurt can change.
Kurt has donned his X-Men uniform of a black Kevlar-weave tactical vest on over his long-sleeved black leather top with fire engine red accents at the outside of the forearms, vest sides (there's a red 'V' on the back that goes from the padded shoulders to his lower back), and outer thighs of his leather pants. His black shoes are reminiscent of those ninjas wear with red wrapping going up to mid-calf and yet oddly no soles. There is gold trim edging the seams of the vest and leathers. His daggers are sheathed on his outer thighs and a single one is at his lower back tucked below the vest. He wears specially made black fingerless gloves as well that protect the back of his hands yet leave his palms and finger-tips exposed.
"You certainly make for a fearsome sight in your battle garb, Friend Kurt." Thor comments with a smile and an approving nod as he looks at the shy blue devil.
"Please, call me Nightcrawler vhile I vear this outfit." Kurt says with a shy smile to the towering golden god-prince. It is a habit that Captain Rogers had gotten him into when they'd spar, so his codename would feel more natural when spoken. It also has the bonus of emboldening Kurt for it reminds him of his days in the circus.
"Very well… come then… Nightcrawler… and test your metal against Asgard's finest warriors, namely me." Thor then says with a spin of his hammer in his right palm as he leads the way to the training fields. As they go, various Asgardians mill about in their daily lives coming and going from the palace yet they all turn their heads and crane their necks to see the sight of the little blue devil tagging along behind Thor. Nightcrawler notices the staring but frankly he doesn't care… he's overwhelmed by the sights and scenery all about him!
"Such sights! Such beauty! Asgard ist truly a vondrous place!" Nightcrawler says loudly in awe as they turn outside the main entrance to walk along the walkway that hugs the base of the palace's front. He has to speak up over the sound of the rushing water that flows several meters below as the mighty River Urd emerges from the very foundations of the palace.
"The Mighty Urd has been bridled to give power to the Capital!" Thor explains loudly over the river's roar. Nightcrawler nods his head seemingly absent-mindedly as he looks over the railing at the various channels that direct the water away.
"Like the Hoover Dam… only golden, ja!" Nightcrawler says with a wide grin as he looks to Thor and they resume their trek. Thor smiles at the sight of this odd devil gawking about like a child with wonder in his yellow eyes at everything. Thor can relate… though Midgard's glass towers dominate the skylines of Mortal cities, they do strike him with a sense of awe at the intriguing beauty of the shimmers spires. Of course, even the tallest Midgardian structure barely reaches more than a third of the way up Asgard's golden palace.
As they walk, Thor notices there are more patrolling Einherjar moving about. It strikes the Golden Prince of Asgard as odd since things have calmed down amid the Realms since he was last upon Asgard. He will question his friends once he and Kurt arrive at the training grounds located in the shadow of the palace's west wing.
"Friends!" Thor booms with a wide grin as he walks down the stone steps to the top-most level of the tiered training grounds. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif are busy engaging various soldiers of Asgard's army within their own training squares. Thor notes how there are a few other warriors here as well from a few of the other Realms… Elves, Dwarves, some Vanir Silver Cloaks (which means King Njord or his wife, Queen Skaldi, must be here on Asgard).
"Thor!" Volstagg shouts as he swipes a Silver Cloak away with a parry of his large axe. The very tall portly man with fiery red hair comes strolling up to Asgard's Golden Son. The two men clasp forearms and then share a man-hug. "Has Midgard proven too boring for our favored Prince?"
"No… just paying a short visit to help a new friend find some answers about himself." Thor says and gestures to a now very shy Kurt who smiles nervously and waves at the huge man who is taller than Thor.
"Odin's Beard! 'Tis a Devil of Muspelheim!" Volstagg bellows out in surprise as he eyes Kurt with shock then takes a battle-ready stance.
"Hold, Good Volstagg! This is… Nightcrawler… and he is a friend to me and therefore to the Realm Eternal. I swear… on my Mother's noble soul… that he means us no harm." Thor says calmly and rests his hand to the haft of Volstagg's huge axe to encourage his voluminous friend to stand down. Volstagg does so, though reluctantly.
"The last Demon to grace Asgard with his presence was Surtur not but a few tendays ago." Hogun says as he approaches and gives a stern look to Kurt.
"Surtur?! Was here? On Asgard?!" Thor shouts as his anger rises. The last time Thor encountered and fought the Fire Demon King was nine hundred years ago… and Odin bound the great Demon with chains of Scabrite to contain his magic as well as Surtur himself. "How did he get free?!" Thor demands to know.
"No one knows how… we just know that he was freed." Sif says after her and Fandral approach.
"Lady Sigyn took care of him though… removed the Eternal Flame from his new sword Midnight then banished him to the frozen wastes of Jotunheim." Fandral says with a chuckle at the end.
"I suspect that Loki must have freed him sometime between his fall from the Rainbow Bridge and his reemergence on Midgard." Sif says as a spiteful glare flits through her dark eyes. Kurt notices it.
"That doesn't make any sense. Loki has no means to break those chains." Thor says as he shakes his head. He can't imagine Loki setting such a grave foe loose.
"He once had the means, Thor… or have you forgotten about Laevateinn?" Hogun says.
"It was lost when Loki and I fought against the trolls on Nornheim just over a century ago." Thor then says. "You all know how Loki lamented its loss." It's true… Loki became extremely depressed not long after… of course, he was also angry and heartbroken that his newlywed wife, Lady Sigyn (Lady Phoenix at the time), had left Asgard without so much as a word and never returned (until after the recent Convergence).
"Perhaps someone else has found it then." Sif suggests. "Lorelei escaped and struck a claim on Midgard after the Dark Elf invasion. Perhaps her sisters Karnilla and Amora know of its whereabouts? They are the only other ones in all the Realms that could hope to wield it effectively."
"Then perhaps you should ask Karnilla herself when she arrives tomorrow, dear Sif." Fandral suggests with an amused smirk as he eyes the dark haired woman.
"Queen Karnilla is coming to Asgard?" Thor asks in disbelief. Asgard and the Norns have had very rocky relations over the last four thousand years… especially so after Loki seduced Queen Karnilla (for Norn Stones) then her youngest sister Lorelei (for sport).
"You haven't heard?" Fandral asks curiously then of Thor.
"Heard what?" Thor asks as he gives a narrowed glare to his charming friend to just spill it already.
"Nornheim has joined the fold as the Tenth Realm… others are coming in from every corner of the Cosmos. Galactic Empires, Sovereign Worlds, and all manner of Advanced Beings have been offered a seat at Odin's newest bid for Universal Peace." Fandral says and Thor falls silent as he contemplates this bit of news.
"That explains the increased guard around the palace." Thor then says.
"Lady Sigyn makes certain that the Weapons Vault remains unmolested… though there was that scare when she vanished for a time to check on how the Aether faired in Tanleer Tivan's Collection." Sif then says.
"A cluttered mess of a place, if you ask me. Easy enough to get lost in it." Volstagg says and shakes his head at the memory of delivering the Aether to the Collector several tendays back. "I was ready to charge into Knowhere and liberate her… but then she returned and now all is well."
"Except she is still sad at the loss of Loki." Fandral cuts in but his voice is cast low with a solemn note.
"I see now that I must have words with my father… please, my friends, spar with Nightcrawler and make him feel right at home here in the Realm Eternal." Thor says to his friends. "I shall return swiftly, in the meantime… enjoy yourself." Thor says to Kurt and offers a wane smile to apologize before his whirls his hammer and zooms off into the air. The awkward silence that follows is then broken by Fandral.
"So you hail from Midgard?"
"Ja."
"Funny, I've never known a Mortal to look so… curiously as you do." Sif then says as she eyes Kurt closely. His cheeks flush a deep purple from the curious look she gives him but it's barely noticeable since his skin is a dark indigo in color.
"There are actually lots of various looks for… Mortals… like me. There ist a voman whom looks similar to me… vith the blue skin and yellow eyes… though her hair ist red. She does not have a tail but she can change her outward appearance to look und sound like anyone she vishes."
"Does she know how to use magic?" Sif then asks curiously.
"Magic? Nein… err-I mean, no. She ist a Mutant. Mutants are different than Humans. Ve Mutants tend to have special abilities that sets us apart from the normal Human population. I can do this." Nightcrawler says and suddenly he disappears in a puff of smoke to appear three feet behind where he was standing. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three all raise their eyebrows in curious surprise… but then a figure bumps into Nightcrawler and forces the blue devil to stumble.
"Watch where you are going… Devil." Says the male figure.
"I am very sorry, I didn't mean to-" Kurt starts to apologize but the man… or rather Angel with pale blue skin, solid black eyes save for pin points of white at the center, and long platinum blonde hair tied back into a braid grabs Nightcrawler by the front of his vest and hoists him up.
"Devils are never sorry." The handsome blue Angel says as his folded golden metal wings slide open to reveal two pairs of wings… one large set and a smaller pair below. The larger pair come up over the Angel's golden armored shoulders in a swift blur and move to form shears so as to cut Kurt's head off, but Volstagg quickly places his large broad-headed axe in front of Kurt's face from above and blocks the metallic wings as he stands behind Kurt. The wings nick the spell-forged steel axe.
"This… Devil as you call him… is a friend to the Prince of Asgard…" Volstagg says with a low grumble.
"Therefore… if you have a problem with him, Cherybem…" Fandral says as his rapier's point comes under the Angel's clean-shaven chin from Kurt's left.
"You have a problem with us." Sif says and pulls her sword from her shield and takes her battle-ready stance on Kurt's other side. The Cherybem looks around at the group with a stoic gaze… Hogun is silent but his dark eyes promise pain if pressed into a fight as he holds his mace ready on his shoulder.
"Very well then…" The Angel says and his metallic wings slide and snap back in quick fluid motions to their folded position. Nightcrawler teleports from the grip and stands between Volstagg and Fandral. "I will be keeping my keen eyes upon you… Devil." The Angel then opens his wings once more and in one flap, he is airborne and soaring away.
"Thank you… all of you… for standing up for me." Kurt then says gratefully to the four warriors.
"It is no less than what Thor would do if he were here." Sif says as she sheathes her sword.
"So that vas a Cherybem." Nightcrawler states as he absently rubs his neck and looks skyward towards the fleeing figure of the Angel.
"Aye." Volstagg says with a grumble in his throat. "A rather zealous bunch the whole lot of 'em."
"Vhere do they come from?" Kurt then asks as he looks at the four Asgardians.
"They are nomads with no Realm to call home." Fandral says. "Though I have heard they harbor an intense hatred for Devils, which I see is very true."
"Vhy?" Kurt asks curious to know so he can avoid future conflict.
"That is a question for the Scholars." Fandral then says with a pat to Kurt's shoulder as he passes.
"Come. Spar with me." Sif then says with a small smile to the blue devil as she pulls/drags him to the training squares.
"Father! What is the meaning of all this?" Thor asks loudly as he approaches King Odin whom quickly dismisses his attendants, courtiers, and petitioners from the throne room.
"I am ruling the Realm and solidifying the alliances with the others… if you want a more specific answer than give me a more specific question." Odin grumbles to his golden son. The King is clearly in an irritable mood as he huffs and sits down firmly on the golden throne.
"You have opened Asgard up to the other Realms… even allowed Nornheim to send a delegation and I have heard talk that there is a coalition of the Realms centered here… what is the meaning of all this, Father?" Thor asks more clearly and in a softer tone showcasing his curiosity of the matter. Odin sighs.
"As I said before… I have been working to stabilize the peace. After Loki's death… I have done some thinking. I spoke with him in private after I sentenced him and he told me a troubling thing." Odin says and he looks weary upon the throne… Thor knows that age is claiming his father quicker now than ever before.
"Of what did my brother speak?" Thor asks curious as he moves up the steps to the elevated throne. Odin's single eye looks to Thor and that look conveys all the King's worry which he can never speak of. The King waves his hand and a golden force field surrounds the dais.
"Loki spoke of Death and her Lover, Thanos." Odin starts. Thor frowns at this. "Loki worked for Thanos to retrieve the Tesseract… which is an Infinity Stone as you already know by now. Thanos needs the Tesseract to bring his love, Hela… Queen of the Dead, into the Realm of the Living… permanently. He also needs it to release the Phoenix Force trapped within the center of Midgard." Odin then pauses and sighs heavily.
"I vow to not let that come to pass, Father. I shall collect my friend Kurt and return to Midgard at once." Thor says as he stands tall and mighty with the light of honor gleaming in his sky blue eyes.
"There is more, my son." Odin cautions and Thor stops before he turns fully away. "I don't have to remind you what could happen if Thanos recovers all the Stones."
"He will come here… to Asgard… to claim the Gauntlet." Thor says gravely. He knows the story well of how Odin's brother, Cul, got that relic from the Dwarves… Asgard had to pay a tremendous debt to keep the smaller, tougher folk from marching to war with the Realm Eternal… for they are skilled masters of warcraft as well. Asgard's mages exhausted themselves to the brink of death to create so much gold. Soon the golden luster lulled the greedy Dwarves and now every Season, Asgard pays tribute plus gives extra for ingots of spell-forged steel so the Realm's own smiths can fashion weapons and armor.
"Go back to Midgard, my son… keep a close eye out for any Mortal Phoenix Avatars… they will simply draw Thanos' attention to that Realm if they appear as well as prove a danger to themselves and all around them." Odin says and waves his hand. The shimmering golden barrier drops and Thor starts down the steps. "Oh and Thor… be careful." Odin says displaying exhaustion and concern at once. Thor nods then walks out.
"Fighting you is likened to fighting the wind…" Fandral says as he is brought to his knees with Nightcrawler upon his back… one blade held against the front of his neck while the other is pressing against the back of it just below his hairline. Nightcrawler also has Fandral's rapier held in his tail to fend off Sif's attacks as he spins Fandral around to use as a human shield. He then teleports away when Sif makes to stab at his head as she blocks the sword swipe. "One moment you are here… the next you are there." Fandral then adds as he stands with nothing but his dagger left in his hand. Meanwhile… Nightcrawler crouches menacingly a distance away with his twin daggers in hand and Fandral's sword wagging about in his tail.
"Are you ready to yield, Asgardians?" Nightcrawler asks with a bright smile as his yellow eyes dart between the two he is currently fighting.
"Well, I have to admit… I am at a slight disadvantage here." Fandral says as he looks at his dagger a bit sadly. Sif huffs an annoyed sigh out as she snaps her sword down to bring out her second blade. She then twists the handle and the double-bladed sword becomes two. She tosses one to Fandral.
"There… now let's win this and reclaim our honor." Sif says with a smirk as she eyes Nightcrawler.
"For Asgard!" Fandral says with a grin and the two rush forward. Nightcrawler darts ahead to meet them and positions to catch Sif's sword clashes with his right dagger as Fandral swipes in from his left… Nightcrawler teleports before either Asgardian's weapon meets his own… instead and their swords clash. Nightcrawler reappears behind Sif and trips her then disappears again. Fandral swings back to swipe at his blindside… spell-forged steel clashes against spell-forged steel then suddenly Nightcrawler is gone again. Fandral is surprised when the blue devil reappears crouching before him.
Nightcrawler's arm goes up between Fandral's legs as his other arm catches the incoming strike. With a jerking twist… Fandral finds himself flipped over and on his side as Nightcrawler disappears once more. He then reappears straddling Sif with his blades crossed over her exposed slender throat and his tail holds Fandral's rapier just so that the point is under the charming blonde man's chin… drawing a drop of blood from the nicked skin.
"Do you yield… now?" Nightcrawler asks through his panting breathes from the workout. The two Asgardians have barely broken a sweat.
"Blast it all! I yield." Fandral says with a mock grumble though he smiles merrily. Sif frowns but her dark eyes access the blue devil with a new light and she nods once. Nightcrawler withdraws his weapons and stands. His tail flips Fandral's sword to present it hilt first to its owner.
"That vas fun. Thank you for indulging me." Nightcrawler says as he becomes meek-natured and shy once more. He had displayed a bold confidence just moments ago. Sif finds this curious.
"That was an excellent bout to watch." Volstagg says happily as he clasps and walks over to pat Nightcrawler upon the back… he sends the slight little blue devil pitching forward which Kurt manages to control and roll through only to spring back up to his feet. Kurt smiles brightly and bows to his gathered audience.
"You certainly are a most curious Mortal, Nightcrawler." Sif says as Kurt takes on his shy stance once more.
"Come, my little blue friend! Let us drink our fill at the nearest tavern!" Volstagg bellows as he man hugs Kurt around the shoulders and pulls him from the training square. Soon The Warriors Three and Lady Sif are leading Kurt into the city… Grimmdall, the Scholar, watches them go with a cool look then turns and walks away from the railing.
Kurt smiles absently as he listens to Volstagg ramble on about some adventure dealing with the Light Elves. He stares down for a moment into his barely touched mug of mead as he thinks about his encounter earlier with that Cherybem… the Angel with pale blue skin.
"Greetings Lady Sif, Warriors Three… and good fellow whose name I have not had the pleasure of knowing before now." A tall, lithe Scholar dressed in wine-colored robes says as he greets the gathered troupe. His bright blue-grey eyes look at Kurt from behind silver rimmed glasses as he studies the blue devil.
"Hallo." Kurt says a bit shyly with a nod as he looks up at the blonde man. "I am… Nightcrawler… but I do have another name… Kurt."
"Of Midgard, yes? I am Grimmdall, one of Odin All-Father's advisors. He has sent me to speak with you before you leave. If you wish to speak in a more private setting, I know the perfect place near here." The scholarly man named Grimmdall says and Kurt nods his head. The blue devil excuses himself from his new friends and follows Grimmdall out of the tavern and down the cobbled streets. The people stare, sure, but there are now other interesting faces amid the crowds at the market place so the looks don't linger long.
"It doesn't trouble you the way others stare so?" Grimmdall asks curiously as they walk side by side or try to through the throng of people.
"I freely admit it used to bother me that I looked like a monster… a Demon from the pits of Hell…" A saddens feels Kurt's yellow eyes as he speaks… then he takes a deep breath and continues. "But I accepted that I am the vay I am long ago… for if even a devilish looking man such as myself can serve the One True Gott… and live vith righteousness in mein own heart everyday… then perhaps the evil that ist perceived to be associated vith mein appearance vill not be found vithin me vhen others look at me vith eyes unclouded." Kurt says sagely and smiles softly. Grimmdall looks away. Kurt notices the merest glint of unshed tears but he says nothing more and so a heavy silence falls between them as they continue to walk through the city.
Soon they step into a large garden area that is near the shore and thus close to the Rainbow Bridge. Kurt looks up in wonder at the Bridge of multi-hued light. From down here it seems to be higher up than any bridge Kurt has ever laid eyes upon before. Grimmdall clears his throat to capture Kurt's attention.
"What more do you know about your… unique… appearance?" Grimmdall asks as soon as Kurt's eyes are on him.
"I now know there are others that look like me, not blue… but… demonic… though I have only ever seen just one." Kurt answers.
"Did you get a name?" Grimmdall says with a chuckle as he takes a seat upon a stone bench with gilded knot-work filigree on the sides.
"Azazel." Kurt says after he teleports away and reappears perched on a nearby stone wall. "He vas red skinned, vith black hair, und his eyes vere like mein."
"Azazel? Hmm… both the Devils and the Angels seem to value their names as being of greater worth than any treasure, so you are most lucky to have received the name." Grimmdall says amused.
"Do you know of him? Of the Neyaphem?" Kurt then asks as he leans forward in his crouch on the wall.
"Azazel? Never heard of him before." Grimmdall replies and Kurt's hope wavers. "But the Neyaphem… now them I know of." And with those words Kurt perks up and his tail wags behind him. "They originally came about from Dark Elves cross-breeding with Fire Demons from Muspelheim… and once they had colonies throughout the Nine Realms. They were numerous on Midgard at one point… then they clashed with the Cherybem that had a colony on that Realm as well. Needless to say there was a war betwixt the two Races, Mortals could be found on either side as well as caught between their battles. Then during the last Convergence five thousand years ago… the Neyaphem were expelled from Midgard to Niflheim or Helheim as it is more commonly called."
"So there vas a var. He spoke true." Kurt says as he recalls the brief talk with Azazel during the Latverian Mission.
"Did you defeat this Azazel in battle then, Kurt?" Grimmdall asks.
"No… he introduced himself as ve fought then ve parted vays vhile in the middle of a fight." Kurt says.
"Impressive indeed to get his name without inflicting pain upon him. This Azazel must have thought you were an ally… or could be turned into one." Grimmdall then says and his eyes suddenly dart up to the blue sky and he stands smoothing out his burgundy robes. "I am afraid I must leave you now, good Kurt. It was a pleasure talking with a Midgardian as unique as you." The scholar says with a kind smile then calmly strolls away.
"Aufwieterzain!" Kurt calls out to the departing scholar who waves his hand without looking back. Kurt slumps and blows a stray strand of his dark indigo hair from his eyes… then suddenly… Thor lands solidly on he paved courtyard (which holds and thus remains undamaged).
"Come, Friend Kurt… we must leave for Midgard at once." Thor says as he hands Kurt his backpack which Kurt puts on and secures the snaps across his chest before Thor grabs the pack and whirls Mjolner… and then they are off through the air like an arrow straight for the Bi-Frost.
The tall platinum blonde-haired Angel from earlier watches as the noble Prince of Asgard and the blue devil fly swiftly from a garden area to the Bi-Frost. His black eyes narrow as he eyes the Devil. Another pale blue-skinned Angel lands light as a feather behind his perch on top of a nearby towering building. This Angel has long dark hair which is tied back into a braid and wears darker blue accents amid his white clothing and silver armor. The blonde one wears white robes with golden armor and red-orange accents.
"What is it, Michael?" This new Angel asks.
"There is a Devil in the Garden… a blue one."
"A blue Devil? The Neyaphem have never been such a color."
"No… go now, Gabriel. Use the hidden paths. Do not engage this blue fiend in combat… instead, watch him, study him… I want to know how and why there is even one of those filthy fiends left in the Garden of Eloheem."
"As you command, Archangel Michael." The Angel Gabriel says as he folds his hands before his chest and bows his head. His silvery metal wings then slide open as he stands straight once more then he flies swiftly away. The Archangel Michael is then left standing there alone frowning as he contemplates what this means for a Devil, a blue one at that, to be on Earth…
'If this Blue Devil proves troublesome… then I'll make a quick end of him.' Michael thinks as he watches the Bi-Frost flash signaling the return of the Prince of Asgard and his demonic friend to Midgard.
