I think there might actually be 15 chapters instead of 14, but I'm not entirely sure...
So, anyway! Things heat up in this chapter. Didn't get much feedback for Chapter 10... Did you guys not like it or something? Or did I update at the wrong time? Hope this chapter works better!
WARNING: There is graphic violence in this chapter. Probably nothing Supernatural hasn't done before, but unusual for this story.
Chapter 11
Thor loved Midgard. It was so interesting there, and the Midgardians were very entertaining. True, there were some things that tested his patience (such as their belief that he was rather slow simply because he came from a different planet), but he loved this world and all it had to offer.
Jane was one of Midgard's delights. She was absolutely brilliant and Thor enjoyed answering her questions and asking her ones in turn about how things worked on Midgard. She understood why he went off to New York to help Gabriel and his team on some occasions, even saying that giving each other some space was optimal in a relationship. She had then dissolved into mutters about how this was her only long term serious relationship and she was making all this up on the fly, but Thor suspected he hadn't heard right then.
Jane was too sweet to not have had another relationship before him. Although Darcy gave him a rather strange look when he had posited this opinion, so perhaps not everyone believed it. But no matter.
Yet while Thor loved Midgard, he still had an obligation to Asgard as its prince. And he fulfilled it by returning periodically to see how things were or because Odin called for him. If it were not for Gabriel, this would not be possible. If it were not for Gabriel, Thor would not have his brother back.
Thor was under no delusions as to how close he had come to forever losing his brother. Though Loki had never told him exactly what Gabriel had told him, Thor knew it was what had brought Loki back to him.
He owed a great deal to the archangel and learning from him – even if only by observation – was one way to later repay him if Gabriel ever needed it. Thor was but a child compared to him, but perhaps one day…
It mattered not.
What mattered was the present. Jane was but mortal, and Thor did not know how long he would have with her. With grace, he would be able to take her to Asgard to gain immortality. If not…
Again, he would not think of it now. It was not what mattered, and he could deal with it in time. Not everything could be predicted, and he would go mad if he attempted it.
His mother Frigga had oft warned him of the dangers of looking to the future. Considering she had the ability, Thor trusted her words.
Even though, Thor had never expected Sif to use the Bifrost to call him back. She appeared one afternoon in New Mexico as he was helping Jane with moving something.
Accustomed to the Bifrost activating, Thor did not flinch as the light hit the ground and dissipated to reveal Sif's armored form. Her hair was in disarray and she was clutching a sword.
"Thor." Her voice was urgent. "Asgard is under attack."
Thor set whatever it was he was holding down, turning to face Sif fully. "What is it?"
"We don't know." Sif brushed aside a strand of hair that had fallen into her face. "But we need your help."
Conscious of Jane hovering behind him, Thor nodded. "I shall come." He held his hand out, calling Mjölnir to him. She came eagerly, singing as she smacked into his hand. Within a flash and small crackle of lightning over his body, he was adorned in battle regalia.
"Thor…" Jane's voice was soft.
Thor smiled down at her, brushing back a lock of hair and tucking it behind her ear. "I will return, Jane."
"I know." Jane leaned up to give him a kiss. "Stay safe."
"I will." Thor gave her one last smile before he sobered and went to Sif, nodding.
Sif said nothing, but Heimdall was clearly watching as the bridge activated the instant they were standing in the middle.
They were in Asgard seconds later, and Thor had enough time to see Heimdall closing the bridge before something attacked.
Sif reacted instantly, her sword thrown through the air and chopping off the thing's head so that the body collapsed to the ground. Volstagg appeared then to lug the body off and apparently throw it off the bridge.
"That is the problem," Sif announced, retrieving her sword. She turned to Heimdall. "All right?"
Heimdall nodded once. "Yes." He hefted his sword upright, and Thor could see that the edges were marred with what looked like black blood but was too thick to be such.
"Should we not retrieve Loki?" Thor asked, catching their attention once again. Volstagg moved in, followed closely by Fandral and Hogun. The Warriors Three and Sif were all here, just like old times. The only one missing was Loki, and Thor felt his absence keenly. "His magic would be most useful."
"There's no time," Sif said. "We risked enough retrieving you."
"Might we hurry this up?" Hogun asked, throwing furtive glances outside. "There's another party on their way."
"For what we face," Heimdall said grimly, "it is too dangerous for me to continually activate the Bifrost."
Thor remembered the thing that had attacked; practically the only distinguishing feature on it had been the gnashing teeth. "What are they?"
"We do not know," Fandral said. "They appeared out of nothing."
"That is not true," Sif objected. "They appeared out of something." She looked at Thor. "They ate their way through space."
"Come, Sif!" Fandral protested. "That is not possible!"
"Oh?" Sif glared at him. "Then how do you explain the way they come into being out of nothing, the very space around them being swallowed into their mouths? They are eating their way into Asgard."
"There is nothing that can do that," Thor said.
"There is." Sif spun on her heels, marching out. She jabbed her sword in the direction of the city. "We are seeing it right now. Are you with us, Thor?"
Thor hefted Mjölnir up. "Do you need to ask?"
Sif's smirk was pleased. "Just checking."
"I ask again if we are leaving now," Hogun said. "I believe our presence here is attracting them."
"I will remain," Heimdall said. "The bridge needs to be protected."
"As shall I," said another who just came in from outside.
"We need to go to the palace," Sif said.
Thor brushed past Sif. "Then what are we waiting for?"
The moment he stepped outside Thor could tell that this problem was far worse than Sif had made it sound. The shrieking sounds of the monsters that were attacking were everywhere. As were the battle cries of the Asgardians who were fighting back.
There were three other Asgardians standing ten feet away from him and forming the first line of assault against three monsters that had come to this point. There were also several horses, and the Warriors Three and Sif were already mounting them. Volstagg and Hogun both mounted one while Fandral and Sif mounted two separate ones, leaving two others for the remaining Asgardians.
"Are you coming?" Sif asked, looking down at him.
"Naturally." Thor jumped up behind Fandral. "Let us go!"
The horses sped past the creatures, fear lending speed to their legs. Thor could sense their nervousness increasing as they approached Asgard itself. Considering these horses were no regular horses but had seen their fair share of fighting and bloodshed, this was very troubling.
They had barely entered the city when they were attacked by three of the creatures.
Letting out a battle cry, Thor jumped off the horse to better maneuver against the enemy. Mjölnir crackled with lightning that was quickly flung towards all of them.
Yet no sooner had the lightning dissipated did Thor realize that it had no effect on the creatures. They shrieked and darted toward him.
Thor reflexively raised Mjölnir, only to be shielded by Sif thrusting her shield into the gaping maw of one of the creatures. The other two were taken by Fandral and Volstagg.
"Lightning has no effect on them," Sif said, grunting as she threw back the creature. "The only thing that does"—she lopped off its head—"is chopping their heads off." She glanced toward Fandral and Volstagg, both of whom had taken care of their own. "But take care," she continued, "for their heads can rejoin with the bodies."
Thor glanced down at Mjölnir. "How long have they been here?"
"The first came not two hours ago," Hogun said, jumping down from his steed. "It took much trial and error before we realized what could take it down."
"By then more had come," Sif said. "We realized it was an army. I was the one who said we needed you."
"A most apt decision," Hogun said.
"Mjölnir will do no good," Sif said, looking down at Mjölnir.
"So I understand." Thor tightened his grip on her for a second before relaxing it, attaching her to his belt so that she would remain with him. "I need a sword."
Sif's smile was smug as she took a sword off her back, handing it to him hilt first. "For you, my lord."
"Thank you, my lady." Grinning back at her, Thor took hold of it, acquainting himself with its weight, the grip, and the length. It had been a while since he had wielded a sword, but his skills should not have diminished.
"To the palace?" Fandral asked. "It is where the infestation is most heavy."
"Do you know what they seek?" Thor inquired.
"They have said nothing," Hogun said. "Not a word. All they use are their teeth."
"Fighting words we shall have," Sif said. "There has been no chance at a truce or to question why they are here."
"Must we ask?" Fandral demanded. "They are here. It is enough. We will vanquish them."
Sif threw Thor a dark look that told him it was far worse than Fandral was thinking of it as. Indeed, the blood on the streets here and the several headless corpses told him worlds.
"What can we expect?" Thor asked, his mind working through battle plans.
"Not much here on the outskirts," Sif said. "The few that were at the Bifrost followed us. They are most heavily centered in the middle and the palace."
"My parents?"
"Were alive the last we saw."
There was a question in those words, a silent assumption that perhaps they were no longer alive. What sort of threat could these beasts pose to Odin and Frigga? Thor was not seeing the entire picture.
"Our steeds will be more of a hindrance than a help now," Hogun said, coming up to Thor's side. "They are too frightened of these creatures."
Thor did not spare them a glance; the horses would take care of themselves. "Then let us go."
They moved quickly but quietly through the streets. For once Thor remained in the middle instead of taking the lead. The others were more knowledgeable in the ways of these creatures than he was, and he would not be responsible for leading them into a trap that one of his friends could have predicted.
Halfway to the palace, they were attacked by another group of creatures, this one larger and more vicious than the last. There were two for one of them, and Thor found himself facing three before he could kill one.
Grunting with effort, Thor sliced off one's head so that the limb struck a second in the teeth. To his disgust, the creature chewed straight through it, set on its path to Thor.
Sif appeared then, slicing off its head to leave Thor free to take care of the third.
"You're welcome," she said, kicking the head down the street, where it rolled and bounced to a stop by the feet of a fallen Asgardian whose head was missing.
"Thank you," Thor said, giving her a pointed look.
"Quit your flirting," Hogun said, shoving off the creature that had driven itself on his sword just after someone – apparently Fandral – had chopped off its head. "We still have a ways to go."
Quiet again, they continued, albeit this time more quietly than before.
Thor touched some of the black blood on his sword, eyes narrowing as it stuck to his fingers and stretched out between the blade and his skin as he pulled away. Its consistency was more akin to sludge than blood. But the creatures' heads were chopped off as easily as if their innards were soft. Yet the consistency of their blood would suggest that it would be more difficult.
"There is no explanation for their anatomy," Sif said, seeing him wipe the sludge off on the wall of a building.
"Indeed." Some of the creatures almost resembled humans except for their heads. Others were just black beasts with teeth for heads.
"It is marvelous fun," Fandral claimed, grinning ferociously. "Fun of the likes that I have not seen in years."
"I would have thought that Jotunheim would be more than enough for years," Sif said dryly. "And Midgard as well if you recall."
"Child's play!"
"It is not child's play if people die," Thor said grimly, looking away from the body of a child that had been left lying at the wayside. "War is not kind, Fandral. You would do well to remember this."
"But war is necessary, Thor!"
"No," Thor disagreed, remembering Gabriel's words to his father. "War is never necessary." It was why the Tesseract had been warded and locked away.
"Hush," Sif snapped, staring the two of them down. "This is no time for your quarrels. Fandral, Thor has a point. War is never glorious, but sometimes we must do what we must."
"Indeed," Hogun agreed. "Now quiet. We are approaching our goal."
The palace was looming before them, and Thor could hear the screeching of the creatures over the din of swords clashing and battle cries and screams of pain. It was far denser here than it had been in the streets, and he realized that his friends had taken them through the least heavily infected areas.
"The Allfather was in the Vault when we left," Sif murmured to Thor. "Lady Frigga was just outside."
Naturally his father would aim to protect the Tesseract. Was that the objective of the creatures?
Thor remembered the oath his father had sworn before Gabriel, and fear skittered down his spine.
"We should hurry," he said in a hushed tone.
"Yes," Hogun said, "we should."
"I shall take point," Sif said. "Thor, in the middle. We cannot lose you."
Nodding once, Thor gripped his sword tighter and let the small group move forward, him tightly in the middle.
Due to fortunate luck and chance, they managed to sneak into the palace without running into anymore creatures. They snuck by several groups that were fighting other warriors, but none attacked them. For this, Thor thanked his stars. They could not afford such an interference now, not when his instincts were urging at him to hurry.
There was nothing here in Asgard that would be so precious other than the Tesseract. And his father had sworn to protect it.
Unfortunately, their route through Asgard's streets meant that they entered the palace through the bottom. The Vault and Odin would be above them, and they were all too keenly aware of what was taking place around them.
"Quietly," Sif warned them, "very quietly."
"I know these halls," Thor whispered, meaning to take the lead.
"But they can eat through the walls," Hogun whispered back. "We have seen them. Your knowledge is for naught if one suddenly appears from the side."
If they could eat through the walls, it meant they could eat through enchantments. It also meant that Mjölnir would indeed be useless, and Thor gripped his sword all the tighter for this realization. Regardless, his powers were impossible to use in such confined spaces; there was too high a risk that he would hurt a fellow warrior.
If all was lost, he could always smash the heads in; it was one thing he had not tried.
They crept on, debating for several wasted minutes whether they should take the lighted halls or not. In the end they did, for none wanted to brave the dark shadows where anything could be waiting.
The lower levels of the palace were empty of creatures much to Thor's relief. It meant less fighting, but it also meant that their nerves were tightening all the more. They kept their ears peeled for anything untoward, but the fighting taking place elsewhere in the palace created enough of a din that it was almost impossible to make out anything of worth.
Fandral was behind Thor, and he was tasked with keeping an eye on their back. Volstagg and Hogun were to Thor's sides, while Sif once again took point, her shield and sword always ready.
In ten minutes, they had ascended one level and were about to ascend another when they were attacked.
Thor had just taken a step when he felt something snag his cape. He twisted, raising his sword threateningly when something else jumped on him and bifurcated itself on his sword, its halves falling to either side of Thor.
Stunned, Thor almost forgot about whatever had gotten his cape until it gave an all-mighty tug and he was rolling down the steps, letting the sword drop so he would not injure himself. He scrambled at the clasps of his cape, managing to get one off.
He smelled rot before he managed to get the second and the cape was off and he was rolling freely down the stairs and hitting the wall with a loud thud.
Blinking, Thor saw one of the creatures devouring what remained of his cape – which was not much. He had come frighteningly close to death just now.
Volstagg shouted then: "Fandral!"
Fandral was fending off four of the monsters, a large hole behind him the source of the onslaught.
Thor rolled to his feet, unhooking Mjölnir and swinging her around his hand rapidly. He had excellent aim, and she would take down one – maybe two – of the beings, crushing their heads.
She went flying a second later, taking down only one creature as the second met its death at Fandral's blade.
Thor called her back, jumping forward even as her handle smacked into his palm. He took down a third creature with a violent backhand, splattering black sludge all over his face.
"Thor!" Sif cried in warning.
He whirled, eyes widening as yet another emerged through the hole, its teeth headed directly into his face.
Without a second's thought, he jammed Mjölnir into its mouth, channeling lightning directly into the beast's body. The time – much to his surprise – the power was enough that the beast exploded violently. Perhaps because he had channeled it directly through Mjölnir and into its body?
He could devote no further thought to this, as even more beasts were eating through the walls.
"Run!" Thor yelled, hauling Fandral up by the back of his armor and pushing him to the front.
"We do not run!" Fandral gasped, stumbling slightly before he hit his stride.
"We run now!" Volstagg said. "Better we live than die!"
Thor did not look behind him for the movement would cost him. But he could hear, and he knew the creatures were on their heels.
"One more flight!" Sif shouted back, taking the next flight of stairs.
"Allfather have mercy," Volstagg groaned.
Thor shoved up behind him, pushing him on. "You can do this."
Upon reaching the top, they sprinted away from the stairs. Thor could hear them approaching the thick of the fight now that they had reached the more heavily occupied areas of the castle.
"In here!" Hogun said, slipping into a side room that was a library. Frigga would not be pleased to see them fighting in there.
They slammed the door behind them, feeling it shudder beneath their palms as the creatures slammed into it.
"Perhaps not the brightest idea?" Sif said breathlessly.
"They are attracted to sound!" Hogun said. "If we are very quiet…"
The door kept rattling even as they held it closed, and Thor feared that at any moment a hole would appear and that would be it: they would be forced to stand their ground in this tiny library.
Then, suddenly, it stopped. The door was still beneath their hands, and they stopped applying pressure to it, looking at each other in disbelief.
"There," Hogun said gruffly, "I told you it would—"
A scream from Fandral cut him off, and they whirled to find a gaping maw of teeth grab hold of him and pull him back through the hole it had chewed through the wall.
"Fandral!" Thor screamed, lunging forward. He smashed Mjölnir into the mouth of another creature, shooting torrents of lightning into it reflexively. It exploded spectacularly, and Thor was hurtling through the hole without a second's thought, heedless of the cries behind him.
He fell into utter calamity, but not as many creatures as he had anticipated. A glance to the side showed many had forced their way into the library. But the rest – to his horror – had converged onto Fandral, who was bleeding profusely from a hole in his shoulder and still fighting bravely.
"Fandral!" Thor lunged forward, fully intending to help his comrade.
He was blocked by a creature that abandoned the rest. Impatiently smashing it into the ground, Thor looked up only to find that the rest of the creatures were dragging Fandral away, having gotten hold of his legs. His sword lay on the ground, his severed hand still gripping the hilt.
"No!" Thor leapt over the still twitching body, running full force toward the receding monsters.
He had almost reached them when two hit him from the side, one going instantly for his side while the other chomped onto his shoulder.
Thor rolled, smashing himself into a wall and throwing off the one on his shoulder. The one on his side was smashed by Mjölnir, and Thor electrocuted the other by stuffing its mouth full with Mjölnir.
Then he was scrambling to his feet to get to Fandral, fear pounding through his veins. Pumping his arms, Thor had never run so fast before.
And yet it was not fast enough. He could not see Fandral anymore; the creatures around him were too thick. Was it too late?
Thor had just started spinning Mjölnir when something happened. It was as if a switch had been flipped, for suddenly they just stopped. The creatures began swarming over each other and away from – he hoped – Fandral.
Thor froze, uncertain of this new development. Mjölnir remained steady in his hand, humming reassuringly.
Then, in a swarm, the creatures rushed toward him in a sea of black. Thor stumbled back, raising Mjölnir defensively. He never managed to use her, as the creatures parted him for him as if he was a repellant.
Looking back disbelievingly, Thor saw them swarm past the library and its wrecked door with its occupants peering out uncertainly and dripping with black sludge. He saw them swarm down the corridor and out of sight, though he knew not where.
It did not matter.
Turning quickly, Thor rushed to his fallen friend, letting Mjölnir drop as he slid the rest of the way on his knees and crouched above Fandral, horrified at the sight.
"Fandral…" He did not recognize his voice, choked with fear and grief as it was.
Fandral coughed, spitting out blood. "I… suppose I"—another bloody cough—"angered them earlier."
Everything below his waist was gone – eaten. His right arm lay a foot away, half-eaten. His left only had the upper half remaining and the gnawed off edges of the bone were peeking out at the bottom.
"Fandral." Thor pulled his head into his lap, brushing his hair out of his bloody, sweaty face. "You will be fine, Fandral. Just fine. We will get the Healers—"
"Liar." The word was a mere whisper, but Fandral's smile was fond.
Volstagg collapsed next to Thor, his voice broken as he choked out, "Fandral."
Fandral had a smile on his face as he looked up at his friends, all of whom had congregated around him.
"You'll be all right," Sif whispered from over Thor's shoulder.
"Do you think"—Fandral wheezed in pain—"Valhalla will have a place for me?"
Thor smiled painfully, clutching his friend's shoulder. "Of course. You are a brave warrior."
"Yes…" Fandral's eyes were becoming fuzzy. "The Warriors Three and Sif…and Thor…together…"
"Always," Thor promised, his eyes stinging.
"We will see you in Valhalla," Hogun choked out, one hand clutching a heaving Volstagg's shoulder.
"My friends…" Fandral's breath left him in one heavy shudder, and then he was still.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Thor pressed his lips together, holding back the anguished cry that wished to escape. Volstagg had no such compunctions.
Still, Thor could not hold back his tears, and he dipped his head to press his forehead to Fandral's as several dripped down onto his fallen comrade's face.
Then, shuddering once, Thor pulled himself together, pulling back. He looked down at Fandral somberly, brushing a hand over his open eyes to close them.
When he looked back up, Sif was the only one who was meeting his eyes with her own red-rimmed ones.
"We will see him in Valhalla," Thor rasped.
Sif nodded once, her jaw clenched, before she stood ramrod straight, her knuckles white around the hilt of her sword. "If the Fates allow us," she whispered.
Gently resting Fandral's head on the floor, Thor stood up, eyes hard. "We need to move on," he announced to his grieving comrades. "Fandral would not want us to stand here grieving like lost sheep."
"We cannot leave him here," Hogun said quietly, his face a silent mask of grief.
"No." Thor looked past them all and down the hallway to where the Vault lay. "But we must move."
It was Volstagg who took Fandral's body into his arms. It was Hogun who lifted Fandral's sword and placed it on his body. It was Sif who retrieved Fandral's remaining arm and settled it over the sword.
And it was Thor who led them deeper into the palace, his face a dark mask.
Sif matched his pace, her voice quiet as she spoke, "It happened once before, with a small child. We had not…we had not expected it to happen again."
Thor did not look down at her. "We cannot prepare for all circumstances."
The beasts ate everything. In hindsight, Thor was not surprised that – overcome by their hunger – they had focused on only one member of their party. He only wished he had thought of it before, that he had thought to summon Gabriel here.
He was not one for praying, but perhaps it would have been wise to do it here.
Thor turned to his left and hesitated briefly upon seeing the carnage laid out before him. It would seem that they had left the empty halls behind and joined the scene of where the main battle had taken place.
Tightening his jaw, Thor soldiered on, feeling his comrades keep close to him.
There was blood everywhere, both Asgardian and that of the creatures. There were unmoving black heaps everywhere, though he could see some twitching and inching forward to what must have been their heads. It was the opposite for the dead Asgardians, for they were still and missing whole limbs. On occasion there was only an arm or a leg, with no body to show to whom the limb had once belonged to.
They were halfway down the hall when a creature's body twitched violently and leapt forward to reattach itself to its head.
Thor froze instantly, hand going to Mjölnir. From beside him, Sif raised her sword.
They did not move, eyes fixed on the twitching creature as the head slowly merged to become one with the body. It snarled loudly, teeth clashing together as it twisted around itself to face them.
Thor stiffened, Mjölnir coming up threateningly.
Yet the creature did not attack. Instead, it gave a chilling growl before diving down to the floor and vanishing through a hole it created within seconds. It did not come back.
Slowly, carefully, Thor inspected his surroundings. There was no sign that one of the other creatures would be doing the same, but he suspected that once they left it was likely that more would be pulling themselves together. Even now he could see the signs.
"Let us go," he urged quietly, dropping Mjölnir to his side and quickening his pace.
With their rapid pace, it took them only minutes to approach the Vault.
Frigga was standing before it, her robes splattered with black sludge and red blood. She was conversing with two guards just as she saw her son and his friends approach.
Dismissing the guards, Frigga walked quickly toward Thor, her face streaked with tear marks. "Thor." She sounded utterly relieved and reached up to rest a hand against his cheek. "You are well."
Thor curled his fingers around her wrist, squeezing reassuringly. "I am. And you, Mother?"
"I am unharmed." Frigga's gave him a wavering smile. Her eyes drifted to his comrades; he could see it when she saw Fandral's body, for a deep wave of sadness flashed across her face. "He will be missed," she said quietly.
"He died as a warrior," Thor said. "It is what he wanted." His smile was rather fixed.
Frigga brushed a hand against Thor's shoulder, her fingers coming away red. "You are hurt."
"It is nothing." Thor had not even noticed the injury. "Please, Mother…where is Father?"
Frigga looked stricken now, her hand dropping from Thor's face and her eyes skittering back to the door of the Vault. "Your father…" She looked into Thor's eyes. "He was defending the Tesseract."
A dark wave of fear crashed down on Thor. "Where is he?"
"There were too many. They ate through the enchantments." Frigga had turned to the Vault now, her face turned away from Thor. "I could do nothing."
Thor regretted asking the question, but he needed to be certain. "He is dead?"
Frigga's breath left her in a shaky exhale. "Yes." Her voice was calm.
Thor made to push past her, only to be stopped by her resting a hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing left," she said, eyes looking past him and into the Vault.
"Nothing?" Thor did not recognize his own voice. He pulled away from his mother, letting her hand drop from his arm.
"No." Frigga inhaled shakily. "Thor…the Tesseract…they have taken it."
Thor's head snapped to her, eyes wide. Then, heedless of what he might see in the Vault, he rushed to the door, looking inside.
There was absolute carnage strewn about the floor and the walls – the bodies of the ones his father had slain before being overcome. Odin's staff lay forgotten – no, not forgotten – on the floor. And the Tesseract…was nowhere to be seen.
Stepping away from the room and toward his mother, Thor clasped her by the elbow, his voice low as he said, "Gabriel. We must call Gabriel."
Frigga did not argue. "I will ensure everything is ready," she said quietly, turning to look one last time at the Vault, her eyes infinitely sad. "Heimdall will call when he can."
He let his hand drop as his mother pulled away to approach Sif, drawing the other into quiet murmurs.
Thor looked back at the open door to the Vault, grief in his heart and anger in his mind. Odin was dead. He was now king of Asgard.
They arrived without fanfare in Asgard. Gabriel's wings were rather ruffled from traveling via the Bifrost, but he smoothed them out unthinkingly, eyes flickering around the control room.
"Heimdall," he greeted the tall foreboding man. "You good?"
"I am well," Heimdall answered without inflection.
"Good," Gabriel replied distractedly, going up to the exit. There was black sludge stuck to the walls, and he ran his fingers through it, drawing them away to rub them together in consideration. "What attacked?" he asked.
"We do not know," Thor said evenly, coming up to Gabriel. "But they were most vicious."
"Toothy? Hungry?"
A dark look flashed across Thor's face. "Yes."
Gabriel smiled wanly. "I was afraid of that. It was the Leviathans."
"Here?" Steve asked.
"Apparently so." Gabriel turned to look out at the Bifrost, shining pristinely against the dark expanse of space. "Are they still here?"
"No." Thor's lips thinned. "They left unexpectedly a day ago. I would have come earlier, but…" He shook his head. "You will see."
"What happened?" Loki asked him worriedly, his green eyes watching him sharply.
Thor shot him a look. "You will see," he repeated. "Come."
There were several horses outside waiting for them. Gabriel hopped up on a pretty white one, seeing Steve shudder slightly upon seeing the black sludge tacked onto the walls.
"I brought only three," Thor said as Loki mounted the third horse.
"That's fine," Gabriel said. "Steve can ride with me."
"Just like riding a motorcycle, huh?" Steve laughed, the sound forced.
"Almost." Gabriel pulled him up easily, sliding forward slightly to give Steve more room. "Hold onto me."
Steve's arms went unerringly around his waist and tightened directly before Gabriel gave the reins a flick, sending the horse trotting off after Thor and Loki.
Stretching his senses, Gabriel could tell where the Leviathans had chewed their way into Asgard. There were places where space was especially weak, where he could sense that the Leviathans had entered and then left. In contrast, the city itself wasn't the utter disaster he had expected. Considering Asgardians were warriors, perhaps they hadn't had as many casualties as expected.
Of course, it had also been practically a day since the Leviathans had left, so most of the carnage had likely been cleaned up.
Once they were inside the palace, Gabriel could better tell what had happened. The Leviathan infestation had been most heavy here. There were holes everywhere in the walls, ceilings, and the floors.
Loki was eyeing the destruction with a wary look on his face, though his eyes showed how troubled he truly was. Steve had abandoned any semblance of a poker face altogether halfway through the journey and was just looking horrified.
"Most of what happened has been cleared up," Thor explained evenly, leading them through the palace corridors. "Except…"
He said nothing more, drawing to a stop in front of a set of giant doors. "This is the Vault."
Frigga turned up then, stepping up to Loki. "Loki…"
"Mother." Loki sounded relieved. "You are well."
Frigga's smile was sad. "I am. It has been a while since you last walked these halls."
Loki's smile wavered. "Not that long." His eyes flickered around the hall. "Where is…where is Odin?"
Gabriel didn't wait to hear Frigga's answer, fear pooling in the base of his stomach as he stepped up to open the doors to the Vault. They creaked open ominously, telling him exactly why Thor had refused to elaborate earlier.
This room had been left untouched by the cleaning efforts. Leviathan remains splattered every inch of the walls and floors. There was a staff he recognized as Odin's that was lying on the floor. There was no sign of Odin himself.
"He's dead, isn't he," Gabriel said distractedly, stepping inside.
"Who?" Steve asked, following him closely.
Not answering, Gabriel picked his way through the carnage, uncaring of where he stepped. His footsteps squelched as he stepped over and through Leviathan remains and bypassed the staff.
His mouth was dry as he approached the area where the Tesseract had been stored. There was no trace of its energy or the enchantments that had been keeping it safe. In fact, he could tell exactly where the enchantments had been torn out at the roots, eaten away by the Leviathans.
"It's gone." His voice echoed eerily through the Vault.
"Yes," Thor answered from the threshold. He didn't make a move to enter the Vault any further. "They took it."
Gabriel reached out, pulling into view one strand of a spell that had been wound around the Tesseract. It shimmered faintly, curled around his fingers. Exhaling slowly, Gabriel let it go, watching it disappear into nothingness.
He turned slowly, brushing past Steve. "Anything else?" he demanded.
"Just the Tesseract," Thor confirmed.
"They attacked because of that?" Steve was keeping several paces behind Gabriel, quiet horror tingeing his tone.
"We do not know," Thor said just as Gabriel said, "Yes."
He stopped at the top of the stairs, standing directly besides Thor as he gave the room a final look-over. "At least, that's my educated guess."
"My father is dead," Thor said heavily, his eyes resting on Gabriel. "I was hoping for more than an 'educated guess.'"
"I know." Gabriel squeezed Thor's bicep as he brushed past him, exiting the Vault and the aura of death permeating it. His eyes landed on an ashen Loki standing by Frigga.
"He is dead," Loki said, eyes meeting Gabriel's. "Odin is dead."
"He fought bravely," Thor said from behind Gabriel.
"He did," Gabriel agreed, moving away from the Vault and toward Loki. "There aren't many who can take down that many Leviathans at once."
"Is that supposed to make us feel better?" Loki demanded.
"No, not really." Gabriel gave a brief smile. "There isn't anything I can tell you that will make this better. This isn't good. This is actually a disaster."
"You said they were Leviathans," Frigga said.
"Yep." Gabriel brushed the fingers that had touched the black sludge against the palm of his other hand, remembering the feel. "They're not supposed to be here. I've already had several on Earth, and there are more."
"We must gather our forces," Thor said.
"I'd usually say go for it, but at that won't work with this."
"They killed my father." Thor gestured back at the now closed Vault. "They killed one of my dearest friends. Many other brave warriors fell yesterday. Are you telling me we cannot go after these monsters?"
"Leviathans are the oldest creatures in the universe, the first created by my Father. You don't know what they're capable of. You held your own yesterday, but they had an objective to fulfill: the Tesseract. The next time they come, they won't stop. Your forces won't do any harm to them. There's nothing you can do that will put them down permanently."
"My lightning tore apart two."
Gabriel shook his head once. "They reform, which you've probably noticed over the last day. Magic puts them down, which is what Odin used." He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the Vault. "Against the amount that you faced yesterday, even I would have trouble."
"Then what?" Steve said before any of the Asgardians could, his voice a calm port in the storm. "What's the plan? We don't know what we're facing, Tony; you do."
Gabriel took several breaths, looking up at the ceiling. Finally, he turned to look at Steve. "Get everyone on the Helicarrier. The air's the safest place right now. Get Pepper; get Rhodey. Tell Fury what you need."
"What about you?"
Gabriel turned, eyes fixed on a spot not on Asgard. "Raphael," he said.
"Your brother?" Steve asked sharply.
"Sister, actually." Gabriel gave him a quick smile. "But semantics. Yes, Raphael. I need to speak with her. I'll catch up with you once I'm done."
"And Asgard?" Thor asked, his eyes studying Gabriel's face.
"That's not up to me," Gabriel said quietly, inclining his head. "You're the king, Thor. Stay here; come back to Earth. It's up to you."
"Go," Frigga said before Thor could. "Your friends need you."
Thor looked at her in surprise. "You need me."
"I have been queen for a very long time," Frigga said, drawing herself up. "Do you not think I can hold Asgard together for the short time it will take for you to vanquish these Leviathans?"
"Mother—" Loki started.
"You should go as well, Loki." Frigga's smile was sly. "I have taught you all I know regarding magic, and you have surpassed me. If what Gabriel says is true, your expertise will be needed."
"This is true," Thor said before Loki could respond. "Brother, your abilities are unparalleled among us."
"They are not." Loki's brow furrowed. "I have magic, yes, but there are those far wiser than I."
"And that's why you're needed," Gabriel said. "We've got enough people who can run headlong into situations. We need people who know when they're outclassed, when it's time to run or when it's time to talk."
"So it's settled then?" Steve looked between all of them.
"If it is all right," Thor said, looking at Frigga.
"Of course." Frigga's smile was bigger. "Go, Thor. I shall stay. Asgard will still be here when you return."
"And that's my cue," Gabriel said, drawing everyone's attention. "We're short on time. Steve, I'll see you on the Helicarrier."
"Absolutely," Steve confirmed.
Nodding once, sharply, Gabriel unfurled his wings, arrowed in on the place where he could sense Raphael. He popped into her room an instant later.
A knife embedded itself into his throat another second later.
Gabriel winced, pulling it out and waiting for his throat to heal before he said, "Knife through the throat, that's a first for me."
Raphael studied him calmly, eyebrow arched as she held out her hand for the knife. "I won't apologize."
Gabriel dropped the knife into her hand. "No, of course not. But why the reaction?"
"Don't you know?" Raphael wiped the blood off with a cloth before tucking the knife away on a concealed location on her person. She was wearing jeans and a blouse.
"The Leviathans?"
"They're here." The answer was flat. "I've already had two try to eat me. They didn't succeed."
"How?"
Raphael shot him an amused look. "I've lost my Grace, but my memories remain, Gabriel."
A quick glance around the room told Gabriel what he should've noticed at first look. The walls were covered with the same symbols he'd given Loki. "How'd you manage that?"
"I hired some people," Raphael replied, sounding bored as she took a seat and reclined into it. "Money speaks."
"Tell me about it." Gabriel went over to a wall, rubbing a thumb over the bottom stroke of a symbol. "Do you know how they're here?" he asked finally, looking back at his sibling.
"You know more than I," Raphael said. "Castiel swallowed purgatory. I know nothing other than that."
"Neither do I." Gabriel glanced back at the symbols on the walls. "But there was a sorceress – Lilith – she sent four superheroes to purgatory not long ago. They came back, but I'm guessing something came back with them."
"There's your answer."
"That doesn't explain the rest." Gabriel frowned, frustrated. "Asgard was invaded yesterday. They were after the Tesseract."
"I have no idea what that is," Raphael said, "although from your tone I gather it isn't good." She sighed lightly, tipping her head back to study the ceiling. "The Leviathans wouldn't have been contained by Castiel's frail vessel," she continued nonchalantly. "He is but an angel, and Leviathans can destroy them. Perhaps they escaped then and have even now been infiltrating space."
"It's a one-way trip," Gabriel said, repeating what Death had told him. "Where would they go?"
"We are – or at least you are"—Raphael's admission sounded pained—"beings that can travel throughout all of time and space; there is no such thing as a one-way trip."
"Not according to Death."
Raphael's eyes snapped to Gabriel. "You spoke with Death?"
"It was a while ago." Gabriel shrugged. "He said some trips were only one-way. I gathered that coming here was one of them. Then again…" The Tesseract was an object with infinite potential. In the hands of the right being, it could be used to travel through space.
"With human ingenuity, anything is possible," Raphael pointed out, sounding resigned. "I've learned this often enough now that I'm human. And, naturally, with the Winchesters."
"The Leviathans aren't human," Gabriel remarked absentmindedly, mind whirling. "Look…can you help?"
Raphael smiled pityingly. "You came here to ask that? Gabriel, I am human. I can't."
"Raphael—"
"You are the last, Gabriel. The only key remaining. My Grace was a key; without it I'm nothing. Michael and Lucifer are locked in the cage, but it's doubtful Lucifer would help regardless."
"He wouldn't have wanted it to go this way," Gabriel protested.
"Regardless, you can't get them out. You're clearly unable to find my Grace, or you would have told me earlier. Why did you come here, Gabriel?"
"I thought…" Gabriel took a breath. "I thought you had some advice."
"For defeating the Leviathans? Our Father's first?" Raphael huffed out a laugh. "Hardly, Gabriel. I may be elder, but I'm not wiser."
"Then what? I can't lock them back in purgatory!"
"I don't know." Raphael looked troubled. "But I can't help, Gabriel."
"You said human ingenuity—"
"I think this situation warrants for more than that, don't you?" Raphael interrupted. "You are human and angel, Gabriel. Use that brain of yours. I've heard amazing things about Tony Stark, and you are still the same. I'm sure you'll come up with something."
"So you won't help." Gabriel sounded defeated even to his own ears.
Raphael smiled sadly. "I can't."
"You can come with me. We've got a Helicarrier—"
"I will stay," Raphael cut him off gently. "You have a family here, Gabriel. Don't think I haven't been watching the news. You have found the family we failed to be."
Gabriel exhaled shakily. "You were my first."
"And not a very good one." Raphael shook her head. "Go, Gabriel. Regardless of what happens, I will be safe. I still have my skills." She arched an eyebrow, twirling her knife around.
Gabriel smiled mischievously. "I see that. Very nice and pointy."
"Indeed."
Before he left, Gabriel hesitated, wetting his lips. "And Raphael, I'm—"
"I know, Gabriel. Now go."
There was nothing more to be said. Gabriel pursed his lips, nodded to his elder sibling one last time, and flew.
Gabriel didn't go immediately to the Helicarrier. He did a pit stop in Afghanistan, landing clumsily in front of his tree now that there was no one to see him fall apart.
He fell to his knees before his tree, leaning so far forward his forehead rested against the rough bark. His breath left him in a harsh sob before he could stop it.
"Is this why?" he started shakily, fingers digging into the bark. "Is this why you put me here? Because you saw this would happen?"
There was no answer, but Gabriel hadn't expected one anyway.
"Was it because of free will? Because you wanted me to learn for myself? Because you wanted me to find my own family?"
Gabriel rocked back on his knees, looking up into the green branches with a tearstained face. "Or was it because I had a message?" The word was spat out. "A message to impart to Azazel, to Lilith, to Raphael? Am I just a tool for you to use? For you to discard at your whim? Why did you put me here?" he screamed, his true voice rattling the branches.
He broke off into another sob, taking several deep breaths. Blinking back hot tears, he ducked his head, curling up into a small ball in the sand.
After several long minutes of silence, Gabriel straightened up, drawing in one long breath through his nose before relaxing, his eyes fixed on his tree's trunk.
"I'm the last," he began conversationally. "The two eldest are in the cage. Raphael is here, but she has nothing except her memories. And I…I'm your messenger, only you can't be bothered to speak to me."
He stood up slowly, hands balled into fists. "I stood against the apocalypse once before," he began evenly. "I'll do it once again if I must. This is my home now. And I'll be damned if it's taken from me. I don't expect you to help me. That's not your way. But I…I-I'm asking you for this one thing. This one simple thing…
"Will you please…Parent…speak to me?"
And Gabriel waited, face turned up to the sky.
The wind brushed against the sand, rustling the leaves of his tree. There was no other sound, and try as Gabriel might, he was unable to feel anything other than his own Grace, writhing in turmoil within him.
Finally, after long minutes of silence, a broken laugh shattered it.
"That's it then?" Gabriel snickered, brushing away a few stray tears. "Got nothing to say? Fine. I don't need it."
He spun on his heels, pacing away from his tree, frame vibrating with anger.
Then he whirled on his heels, screaming to the heavens (never mind that there wasn't anything), "I asked you for this one thing! And you can't even give me that? I'm not asking you to fix the world, Dad! Just maybe for some answers! Just to know that you're still watching! Or was all that back there with Azazel hot air? You said it was a mistake, but you're making another big one here!"
Gabriel tensed, bringing his shoulders up to his ears. "I know I'm not perfect, but I thought I'd at least…that you'd at least…" He broke off, shaking his head.
"It was a foolish hope," he started again, subdued. "But then I'm a fool. I'm not worth much. Just an angel…"
His mouth twisted unhappily and his wings fluttered agitatedly; the sand rippled around his feet.
"Damn it!" he exploded. "Damn it all to hell! Damn you!"
His hands flew through the air with each curse, each epithet he hurled into the desert, and the sand roiled with the pressure of his enraged Grace. One dune exploded outward, flattening completely with one flap of his wings. His tree shook violently, the branches rattling against one another and dozens of leaves falling off.
As suddenly as he'd started, Gabriel stopped, gasping for breath. "I don't…" The words were a whisper. "I don't want to lose myself. Not now. Why…why does it have to be me?"
The desert offered him no answers.
...It is Supernatural. Sometimes people die, and they don't come back. If it makes you feel any better, this wasn't in the original plan, but then it happened so now we're stuck with Thor as king. (And is that a bad thing?)
I'm treating Enochian as a language that doesn't deal with our gender limitations. In English, we only have "he" and "she," with some people identifying themselves with "xe" or "ze." And in Enochian, God has no gender (at least in this universe). So I went for a gender neutral pronoun; it could also be Creator, but I think Parent fits better.
So...what's this thing Gabriel is talking about?
For the reasons behind Gabriel's blowup at his Father, I don't think I'm going to go into too many details. I'm sure you can guys can do the reasoning and figure out why he's losing it.
