When we land, I see a man standing in the middle of the room on a gold platform that has stairs leading up to the very top. I see a dark-skinned man wearing gold armor and a helmet that has horns on the side. I use my wolf eyes to see the ornate designs all over their armor. His hands grasp a giant sword, he twists it, and it closes the Bifrost.
"We have to do that again!" Jane says, but when she sees Heimdall, she falters.
"Hi!" Jane greets breathlessly.
"Hello, Heimdall," I say in a calm, confident tone.
"Welcome to Asgard." He greets us, "Nikolina Volkov, Thor has told me much about you." I smile at him and then raise an eyebrow at Thor. The Norse God gives me a sheepish smile, and I roll my eyes, amusement shining through my eyes.
He gestures to the walkway; we all begin walking toward the palace. My eyes are widening in awe at the sight of the golden palace. Making our way into the castle, Thor leads Jane and me to the treatment room; Jane lays on an examination table while the nurses begin to work over her.
An energy field is encasing Jane, and a hologram shoots up into mid-air, showing a copy of Jane's body. I see the medical people stand all around her, trying to determine what exactly is happening with Jane.
"What's that?" Jane asks while pointing at the hologram.
The healer pushes her hand back to the table while commanding, "Be still."
"This is not of Earth. What is it?" Thor begins talking to the healers while trying to figure out what is happening.
The healer sighs, "We do not know. But she will not survive the amount of energy surging within her."
"That's a quantum field generator, isn't it?" Jane asks, her curiosity still peaking.
"It's a Soul Forge," comes the curt reply of the healer.
"Does a Soul Forge molecular transfer energy from one place to another?"
The healer look impressed at Jane as she answers, "Yes."
"Quantum field generator," Jane whispers towards Thor.
Thor smiles gently at Jane when the door burst open; I see a man with an eye patch over his left eye, and a guard is trailing behind him. The power he emits as he enters the room causes all the healers to step away from Jane. Gold armor encasing his entire body with a giant staff in his hand; this man is the King of Asgard.
"My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?" As the King says this, he waves his arm, and the hologram disappears.
"She's ill." Thor tries to reason with his father.
Odin looks to Thor, "She is mortal. Illness is their defining trait."
"I brought her here so we can help her," Thor explains, trying to get help from his father.
"She does not belong here in Asgard any more than a goat belongs on a banquet table." The King insults Jane.
Jane pushes herself onto her elbows, an insulted look on her face, "Did he just..." She turns and demands, "Who do you think you are?"
"I am Odin. King of Asgard. Protector of the Nine Realms." He states while looking down his nose at Jane.
Jane gaps at Odin before regaining her, composure, "Oh. Well, I'm. ."
"I know very well who you are. Jane Foster. Nikolina Volkov."
Jane turns her head towards Thor smiling, "You told your dad about me?"
I nod my head at him, "Your Majesty," I say in a quiet voice. He looks at me before his attention turns to his son.
"Something's within her father. Something I have not seen."
"Her world has its healers, and they're called doctors, let them deal with it. Guards! Take both of them back to Midgard!" The King begins to walk out of the rooms.
As the guards approach Jane, Thor steps forward, trying to intervene, "No, I wouldn't.." the guard attempts to grab Jane only to be thrown away by a force field of energy "… touch her. Jane, are you alright?"
Thor runs over to Jane, asking her if she is alright, I walk up to her side and feel the energy inside her body. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Odin walk to Jane's right side and slides his hand across her forearm, thus showing the energy within her.
"It's impossible." He mutters.
"The infection, it's defending her?" A healer asks Odin, Thor, and I.
"No. It's defending itself." I say, and Thor nods in agreement.
"Come with me." The King commands.
Odin leads us through the grand hall, a vast cavernous chamber, at the center of which is Yggdrasil, the World Tree. We enter the palace library, my eyes trailing over all the rows of books. I stare in wonder and amazement at the beautiful colors that line the ceiling and the walls.
"There are relics that predate the universe itself. What lies within her appears to be one of them. The Nine Realms are not eternal. They had dawn as well as dusk. But before that dawn, the dark forces, the Dark Elves, reigned absolute and unchallenged.
Odin carefully opens an ancient, beautifully illuminated book and selects a page. I look over the shoulder of Thor, and I see illustrations on the page move as the words on the page are being read aloud.
"Before the eternal night, the Dark Elves come to steal away your light. These were the stories that mother told us as children."
"Their leader, Malekith, made a weapon out of that darkness, it was called the Aether. While the other relics appear as stones, the Aether is fluid and ever-changing. It changes matter to dark matter, and seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life force. Malekith sought to use Aether's power to return the universe to darkness. But, after eternities of bloodshed, my father Bor finally triumphed, ushering in a peace that lasted thousands of years."
"What happened?" I ask the King of Asgard; he turns his head and looks at me.
"He killed them all."
"Are you certain? The Aether was said to have been destroyed with them, and yet here it is," states Thor while facing his father.
"The Dark Elves are dead." The King's loud voice is portraying conviction, not wanting to believe that there could be any survivors.
Jane asks in a very hopeful tone, "Does your book mention how to get it out of me?'
"No. It does not."
Thor motions for two servants to come and take us away; one servant brings me pants and a shirt as well as armor. I place the metal to my chest, and it begins to wind along my stomach, securing it to my waist before it elegantly wraps the metal along my shoulders and slightly down my biceps. I grab the braces and tie it on both my outer and inner arm, covering the most vital veins. The shoes have a slight heel to the bottom of it, I slide my foot into the boot, and like the chest plate, it weaves along my legs. The metal wraps around my ankle, up to my calf, and around my shin, a piece of metal covers my knee, allowing it to bend.
I walk out of the room and meet up with Thor and Jane while sliding my weapons into the gaps in the metal; they look over at me when they hear the sound of my boots hitting the floor. Thor's eyes rake over the form-fitting metal I am wearing while Jane glares at me in jealousy.
We walked out of the palace and onto a balcony, I see water glittering in front of the railing that my body is propped up against, I look out over the water and watch the people move about me.
"When you came for me, you knew I was in trouble."
"When Heimdall lost sight of you, you were no longer on Earth."
"Well, how is that possible?" I ask while still looking at the sparkling water.
"I believe you were, and you weren't."
Thor and Jane lean on the railing that was adjacent as mine, I listen to Thor as he begins to explain what the Convergence is. His voice is a little louder than usual, so that I can hear it as well. Little does he know; I can listen to everything.
"The Nine Realms within Yggdrasil, orbiting Midgard in much the way your planets orbits the sun. Every five thousand years, the worlds align perfectly, and we call this the Convergence. During this time, the borders between worlds become blurred. It's possible you found one of these points. We are lucky that it remained open. Once the worlds pass out of alignment, the connection is lost."
I see their hands move as an example of the Convergence, I look over, and I know that they have both leaned in and are kissing. I roll my eyes and shake my head in amusement. When they break away, Jane begins to speak once again.
"I like the way you explain things. What's going to happen to me?"
"I'll find a way to save you, Jane," Thor tells her gently.
Jane begins to argue back, "Your father said there was – "
"My father doesn't know everything." I hear the sound of footsteps approaching and keep my eyes forward.
"Don't let him hear you say that."
Thor and Jane spin to the sound of his mother's voice, surprised by the fact that they didn't hear her walk up to them. She walks down a couple of stairs and makes her way towards Thor.
"Jane Foster, Nikolina Volkov, please meet Frigga, Queen of Asgard. My mother."
Startled, Jane drops Thor's hands and distances herself from him, embarrassed, "Hi," comes her meek and sheepish reply.
I turn toward Thor's and say in a calm, soothing tone, "Hello." She smiles brightly at me and nods her head back in a greeting.
All of a sudden, an alarm sounds throughout the castle. I snap my head up and look around; my hand grabs one of my daggers I hid in my boot.
"The prison." That is all that Frigga says to Thor.
"Loki." is his response to his mother.
We all turn and look at Jane, "Go, I'll look after her." The Queen says.
Thor spins to me while taking off his cloak, "Nikki, look after them. Any means necessary." I nod my head in agreement.
We quickly make a brisk walk to the castle throne room, I see Odin with a troop of soldiers following after him. He is speaking with the commander of the force when he spots me, Frigga, and Jane.
"Odin." He stops walking and turns toward the Queen.
"Frigga." He turns to the commander and dismisses him.
"It's just a skirmish. Nothing to fear."
"You've never been a very good liar." She says to her husband in slight amusement.
"Take them to your chambers. I'll come for you when it's safe." When the words leave his mouth, a group of soldiers pass. I see Sif with them; she glares at Jane before she looks at me. She runs her eyes over my outfit and then grabs a soldier's sword and hands it to me. I nod my hand in thanks, and she smiles slightly and continues.
"Take care." Her Majesty says to her husband, desperately.
Odin reaches out affectionately, "Despite all that I have survived, my Queen still worries over me."
She smiles slightly, "It's only because I worry over you that you have survived."
Frigga starts to lead us away towards her chambers when she grabs a sword from a soldier that is walking by. I twirl the sword around in my hand, getting used to my wait, as I trail behind the two women.
Frigga grabs Jane and tells her, "Listen to me now. You do everything Nikolina, and I say- no questions asked."
"Yes, Ma'am." The scared reply of Jane squeaks out.
"Nikolina, Thor has told me that you are an amazing fighter. I beg you now, help me protect my family and my people."
"Of course," I say in an active voice, the Queen nods her head in a graceful motion.