Hela lifted Mjolnir and rushed me, the mighty hammer twirling in her hand before she sent it towards me at a blinding speed. I was forced to quickly raise my axe to block the blow, yet the force of her attack had nonetheless lurched me back and out of bounds.
With the tell-tale sound of Mjolnir flying I know Hela had recalled the hammer, she was unceremoniously gifted after the three year campaign against the rock-trolls ended in the dwarfs favour, with Asgard being the key factor at the end result.
When I first laid eyes on the great hammer, I was in awe, such a simple design yet so sleek, the power humming beneath it was almost palpable as Hela lifted it off the slate table. I had initially expected her to fail to do so, considering she was not someone I would consider worthy of the temperamental hammer. It seems that restriction has of yet to be a thing for the hammer.
Though I think, I hope, that Odin commissioned it for his daughter, to secretly mitigate her growing power, because he saw something he didn't like as we fought the rock-trolls for years, but that was little hope, Hela was emulating her father at war, and that's what worries me.
"Forgive me, my dear." Hela gave me a sly smile as she approached me, a hand outstretched to help me back on my feet.
Fenrir happily barked as the wolf ran between myself and Hela.
I knew the fearsome monster this beast would be embroiled in legend, but still as of right now it was a fast growing pup that was enamoured between Hela and I.
"There's nothing to forgive, Hela." I grumbled nonetheless, "I requested you to stop holding back." I scratched under Fenrir's chin.
Her teasing grin gained an iota of pleasure, "Even so, I shouldn't be so rough."
I let out a sigh at her words, "Perhaps, but I need to improve. And the only way I ever seem to do so is by constantly losing."
"If you wish it were not so, don't constantly challenge me." She said easily, "…in a combat I mean. In my chamber I'm more than fine with."
I once again refused to take the bait.
Thankfully I was saved by the timely intrusion of Frigga appearing at the entrance of the training yard.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
"Yes."
"Not at all, my queen." I bowed my head in relief.
"Sweetflower." Hela rolled her eyes at the name of affection her mother called her by, which in turn caused the queen to give me an unamused look, "Come we're almost late with greeting the Sovereign delegation."
"Almost late?"
"Your mother, set a ploy to keep you distracted while she preps for your duties for the eve." I said as in between gulps as I drank from my water-skin. Both mother and daughter gave me withering gazes, "Have fun." Before either could react I was already booking it out of the yard and heading to my apartment in the palace to freshen up.
Asgard was of course Odin's.
Svartalfheim is one of the kingdoms Odin inherited from his father, Bor, who vanquished the last of the Dark-Elves army allowing Odin claim to the unoccupied realm.
Vanaheim is bustling under Asgard occupation and the fall of my families absolute power.
Nidavellir served Odin's crown after the defeat of the 'threatening' rock-trolls and the dire danger they posed to Asgard and the wider realms.
Alfheim, Niflheim, Muspelheim, Jotunheim and Midgard. They are what was left, that was what's left of Odin's conquest, before he stops, or perhaps, the lands of the Angels will be brought into the fold and will eventually cut themselves off.
From what little I remember Muspelheim was supposed to be Odin's first great deed, the first fable of The Desecrator, where he soundly defeated Surtur, forcing the Fire-demon to go into hiding as he licked his wounds, however from what little probing I could afford, Muspelheim held no significance beyond the bad blood, many have with the realm of fire.
I wonder if I'll be required for all the future battles, most likely yes, if Hela had her way, I would be attached to her, never out of sight.
Perhaps I should learn to let go of this worry as it's pointless, not because I have a sure fire assurance that I would be safe, no, if I survived the wars to come, if I survive the oncoming storm that is Hela Odinsdottir.
I would have to worry about the cursed stones, and every fool who fashioned themselves gods and wanted to use them, monkey's paw bullshit.
I had no plans to seek them out to use them, powerful weapons such as the stones came at a price. I would rely on myself. Absolute power corrupts, and I'm at my core a selfish bastard who styles himself as a good man.
War has made that clear enough to me.
When the times get tough, I took the easy way out and screamed about the injustice of it all the while.
"You are unfocused, Alcon."
Heimdall stood on his perch staring out at the universe all around us. How maddening it must be, to be so perceptive, to constantly know the worst of life has to offer and yet to be expected to stand strong and stoic?
"I do not dwell on the worse." He said suddenly, causing me to almost pale, could he read minds? "I can read body movement quite well considering, my young friend." There was a slight timbre of amusement to his voice, "Not much can escape me."
"Still," I huffed, "how can you handle it all?"
I only saw things from one perceptive during the campaign against the trolls, and it was bad enough.
"I withstand the bad, and embrace good."
"Simple as that?" I stared at the Gatekeeper in bewilderment, "No ancient words of wisdom. Nothing to dull the conscious, to drown out my guilt."
He actually eye-smiled at me.
"You're not a mighty man, Alcon. You were not a fabled king of a warrior chaste instead, you were to govern farmers if your time was fully allowed. However what you are, is a good man."
"Good men, don't prosper." I stared out at the star filled space that surrounded Asgard taking the beauty and majesty of such a sight, something I still hadn't tired of even after all of this time.
"Nor is it in their nature to desire so." He hummed as he stared off in the distance, "The little good often overpowers the tidal-wave of horror."
Before I could call that out for what it was, injustice, good deeds and intentions are cheap. Heimdall stood firm as the sounds of animated chatter approached.
The Sovereign delegation glided alongside the royals and the 'indispensable' nobles of Asgard. Heimdall moved from his perch and stood on his pedestal getting ready to open the Bifrost at a moments notice.
I stood off on the side, hoping that I wasn't drawing attention, not that many of the golden-skinned folk of the Sovereignty would deem someone of my standing any notice, the folly of nobility, they didn't see those around them if they weren't perceived worth, but that didn't mean we couldn't see them.
Though this delegation was simply here for one reason, to gauge whether Odin planned to subjugate them as he's already done so to others under his rule.
In sheer numbers alone Asgard was small in comparison to many other empires and species, but they were hardy folk, and with many legends that stood above the rest, one of those legends was enough to stir the tide of war, but none more so than Odin himself.
Odin the Warrior King, tampered by the his silver tongue wife.
Frigga called for this meeting as it were, and the Sovereigns knew better than to insult Asgard. Odin took counsel from his wife, so when she said that Asgard would leave them be, she was also correct when she said the Sovereign would pay a generous tribute.
Gold.
Something I cared nought for, but it almost seemed universal, its worth ironically enough, the Sovereign had plenty of the resource and with careful and smart tactics they had manage to increase the value of the soft metal to the wider galaxy, thus making them one of the 'richer' species out there.
Their folly I suppose, as they made themselves a valuable conquest.
And while their technological advances made them a daunting foe to the most, Asgard stood higher than the golden skinned people, hence the tribute.
The tribute acted as an obvious message, leave us be, but the brown nosing and pandering was unexpected, not many species had the courage to test Asgard like that.
The prince of Sovereignty beamed at Hela, he appears to be a younger man with a supposed perfect face, as the Sovereigns have started to design and alter the people from birth to fit a bill or purpose, they walked at a slower pace then the rest. His facial features were perfect as was his queenly mothers', and I felt repulsed looking at them, their features were too perfect, almost artificial, and something in my mind couldn't coup with looking at it for long.
Uncanny.
Alas, I may find supposed perfection off-putting, but many people would find it quite the opposite. I always found scars and other crooked features adds to one's beauty, something you wouldn't find plentiful in Asgard.
Though while while royal family's features were prim and proper, they were far from flawless, speaking of.
Hela was many things, but she was not as charming or deceitful as her possible future brothers… siblings because who knows what the future hold?
When her eyes landed on me, and a very fake smile appeared on her face as she went back to regarding Prince What's-his-face, I once again rolled my eyes at her actions.
As long lived as I am now, I still didn't have time for this nonsense.
"You know, you're going to be forced to make a stand, at some point." Angela said, her attention was on a pair of her sisters that were in a heated embrace.
"No, no." I shook my head, "No, don't look at them, and dare think of me and…"
"Princess Hela." She said in a mock fearful voice, "It's your fault."
I slammed my tankard down on the wooden table, though no one else at the 'pre-battle' party paid it any attention.
Muspelheim was gathering forces, and the Gatekeeper in his eternal gaze managed to see a battalion of the fire demons gather Svartalfheim, a direct insult to Odin, something the king couldn't ignore. Thank every deity possible that Odin was seemingly losing his lustre to charge without thought. He broke the news of the impending war, yet instead of a gleeful Hela, she was strop at her father proclamation that we would be seeking allies to fight against the imminent fire.
"How is it my fault?"
"You know the princess better than most. Better than the king." She grumbled the last part into her tankard.
"I've never returned her…" Advances was the wrong word, as long lived and uniformed as Asgardians were, they urges varied from person to person. Hela has never been straight forward but at the same time she never hid her intentions. I'm guessing it would be underneath her 'station' to be the pursuer in a courtship with the likes of me.
"Nor have you denied her outright."
I let out a huff, "Like I'm in any position to deny the royals."
Angela scrunched up her face as she regarded me, "Do you still feel as if you're a hostage? Even after all this time?"
I let out a sigh as my eyes roamed over the banquet hall, many of these faces were people I grew up with, some I fought alongside.
"No." Were it that simple.
I've never been one for proper protocol, but when the time called for it, I could play the part well enough, and by that I mean I could stand to the side and attempt my best at being an imposing figure.
Though physical intimidation tended to fail when you were dwarfed by your possible foe.
The assembly of the Jotun were all tall and imposing, mist wafting off their blue skin, red eyes set on us all with a glare, however none of Asgard or myself were cowed by their presence.
The horse head pommel of Leviathan was on the frozen ground, the axe head released an icy mist similar to Jotun, yet as my hands held the axe in place, there weren't damaged by the cold. My resilience to cold being amplified since the axe came into my possession.
Subtly, that's what Odin required of myself. I had showcased my hardy nature to their element with no effort.
Jotunheim was an icy cascade, but it was not barren as I had thought. The realm was brutal, the weather being a fierce as it is, I was shocked to learn this was a relatively warm period, and if the weather was not enough, there was a subtle pressure working against us, as if there was a force willing us to kneel to the planet itself.
Nothing we couldn't withstand, but I wouldn't want to remain here longer than I'm required to.
"Laufey!" Odin slammed his fist on the icy table, "Why are we hear then? If you only desire to drag your feet."
The slender Jotun barred her teeth at Odin, "Who are you Borson, to give me any demands? In my own domain!"
"You invoke my father's name and dare to question me." Odin uttered in a low voice, "To bring his name up and to spit on the pact in one fell swoop." The sounds of knuckles cracking could be heard over the frostfall, "Greater foes have been felled for far less." Odin exuded the power named after the man himself.
It will never cease how much it boggles me, that Odin created a force of power privy to only his line, just to think of it simply is awe aspiring, and not only is he currently the only being able to access what he's dubbed the Odin-Force, but the fact it was a potent magic tied to his life-force was amazingly simple and foolish in the same berth.
Aye there are downsides to it, Odin needing to recollect his strength with the Odin-Sleep after exerting to much power for long, yet it mattered not at the moment, the power given was all consuming.
Enough so that there was a tremble to the icy queen as Odin put an almost pysical pressure to the air around her, the guards that flanked Laufey appeared not to be as hardy as their queen, as they keeled over, struggling to gain back their footing.
The group that were out of Odin's perimeter thus safe from his pressure, drew their weapons.
Odin's entourage followed suit, while we may have been dwarfed by the taller meaty foe, we all knew who were the strongest of the two groups.
The unidentified wood of the axe was held firm in my left hand as I wielded it with familiar ease, the days where I could hardly raise it over my head for long has passed.
The jotun that stood adjacent to me, held her great sword in a firm grip, ready to rush forward and cleave me in two. A playful smile tugging at her lips as our eyes met. I beg the Norns to tell me I've not just met the jotun version of Hela, the lack agency was worrying considering her queen was in a dire situation, but the prospect of a fight seemed to be on the forefront of her mind as it seems.
I let out sigh as I realised I got caught up in the moment, I lowered the axe and cleared my throat, "My King. We came here for a reason, not to start a war, but to gain an ally to fight one." I was out of line for speaking out of turn, but Odin at times was as hot blooded as his daughter, and we couldn't afford to fight on two fronts.
Muspelheim was gathering its forces, and Surtur was a foe that only Odin could face. I think I remember from my old life that there was a law of the universe, if something could happen it would happen.
Hence why we came to Jotunheim to force the Jotun to comply to the treaty that Bor Burison put in place.
When I first learnt of the tentative peace between the two species, I racked my mind, trying to understand what would cause the future friction that I knew was coming, all fingers pointed at Hela so to speak.
I hoped at least, I believe on Midgard terms the year was ranging to 600BC, which meant I had a general 1500 years till the sons of Odin would be born.
Nonetheless, I needed to keep an eye on the princess at all times while we interacted with the icy folk of Jotunheim.
Hela let out a scoff as she bared her teeth, "The more the merrier, I say." She eyed the Jotun and while she had a wild grin plastered on her face, I could read her eyes vividly, and the unhinged glee almost caused me to shudder as she loved the prospect of fighting the Jotun as of now.
Odin's eyes flickered between me and his daughter, his gaze lingering on me longer than I liked but I felt no pressure encompass me, so I hoped he was taking my words to heart.
Laufey and her guards got their bearings as they stood up straight, the queen had enough energy to glare murder at Odin, but she chose not to test the man further.
"Surtur would a lit jotunheim a blaze." I was already in trouble for speaking out of turn, might as well embrace it while I can, "It will not be a war governed by morals, he will slaughter all, not just your warriors." The unsaid was clear to the monarchs, they would gladly spare the innocents of the foe's species, but the fire demon was not bound to such drawbacks.
The queen gave me a hard stare, "And you care for such lives?"
I breathed deeply and closed my eyes, this was treading on treason but I was clear on where I stood, even to Odin himself, "You and Asgard may be at peace but," There was no need to explain the but, asgardians and jotuns will never be at true peace, "by virtue you are my foes, but I do not hate you. I will do my duty to my King, I will slay any warrior that he bids me, but not any I deem innocent."
The queen let out a laugh, it was an awkward and almost disgusting sound, she turned to regard Odin with a queer grin, "One of your attack hounds is defective."
"A wise king heeds advice he would rather not hear. I am glad to have one as such as Alcon to fearlessly do so. As should you, he saved the lives of yours today."
That sobered the amusement of Queen Laufey, as she gave Odin a shallow nod, "I will gather my forces," She spat out.
I wish I could say that the tense air subsided when the majority of the jotun followed their queen's leave, however even as they left I could feel a sense of dread in the air, I turned my eyes to Odin, and I was once again reminded of all those years ago when I first met the man, how he towered over me, a child who was way in over his head.
I bowed my head, "I accepted whatever punishment you feel that is fitting, but know I do not regret my actions." I said honestly.
His eyes peered into my for but a moment, "A mixed group consisting of Jotun and us will be required." Odin stated simply, "I will ask you to work, and if I can press it, lead the band."
My eyes flickered to the rest of the Asgardians, the majority of them were as baffled as I, except for Angela who was grinning with a proud gleam on her face, Hela looked just indifferent.
"And the punishment…" I trailed off expecting him to strike right about now. The corner of his lips quirk up, an expression I'm all to familiar with, "So that's were Hela gets it from."
"I'll think off it," He wagged a finger at me, "though I'll be sure to tell you when I think off it." With that he walked off.
"Ha," I let out with amused snort, "Does he think I'll torture myself, worrying about it?"
Angela shrugged her shoulders as I neared her, "Perhaps, that's not his intention and he truly is thinking of an apt punishment."
"Wait, truly?"
Angela patted my shoulder and walked off with a grin tugging at her lips.
I hate my life.
A/N - 08/10/22
Alcon trying his hardest not to stick his dick in crazy, yet him being passive about it will probably land him in more trouble.
Not really have much else to say here, other than thanks for the support.