Atali had spent most of her life in the battlefield. From the moment she could walk she was training herself in the art of combat- her primary weapon being a spear. But as she grew older, and time went on, she found that certain other weapons would be best. She never expected to find herself right in the middle of Muspelheim as it raged with a war.
Atali was a special breed- an Asgardian. She was assigned to a team known as the Wingmaidens- all dedicated to protecting the small planet known as The Hidden World. This planet was inhabited by an ancient species, one whose presence has been so removed from Midgard that they believe them to be all dead.
But they are alive, and thriving here. Through green plains and waterfalls of crystal clear- they live in a similar atmosphere to their original home. These are dragons, and they are under the protection of some of Asgard's finest warriors. Atali prided herself on caring for the dragons, and in defending them by any means necessary.
This was a task assigned to her by Freya herself, and it was a task that she refused to fail in. The more time she spent around them, the more she grew to love them.
So when a ring of fire opened up in the center of a plain on the World, her and her wingmaidens all took to their weapons and prepared for the worst.
It started off with one fire demon, standing at about 7 feet tall and glaring down at them, but he was mowed down with ease. Then came about twelve more, then twenty, and then thirty.
The numbers seemed to multiply, much to the Wingmaidens' annoyance. Until they took the battle to them. During the fray on the Hidden World, the demons had managed to fatally injure and kill a few dragons. That alone was grounds for a home invasion to the Wingmaidens.
And so Nadia, the group's magic wielder, opened up a portal to the realm of the fire demons. And there they were- Atali leading the charge against the demonic beings as they sought answers to the sudden attack.
It was there she found herself face to face with Surtur himself- glaring daggers at the King of Muspelheim.
"Why have you brought a war upon my land?!" The demon asked as he lifted a sword of flames- slamming it down into the ground with a crash of flames escaping the blade.
"I should ask you the same, Surtur." Atali replied as she raised her axe in defense. The axe, named as Soulstar, was a gift from Freya and her husband Óòr- given upon her first day as the Wingmaidens' leader. The axe was capable of granting its wielder the blessing of Freja- this increasing their durability tenfold and allowing them access to a well of energy that flowed from Fólkvangr. It also projected that energy in bursts, blasts and shields, could be used as a blunt instrument or a sharp blade and was capable of returning to her hand when thrown.
Perhaps the greatest feature of the weapon was it's access to the spirits that dwelled in Fólkvangr. Should Atali ever reach a low point where she or an ally is near death- she can call upon a spirit or several spirits to aide her in battle- whether it be through healing a fatal wound, attacking a powerful enemy or simply giving the woman their powers.
Truly a remarkable weapon- forged from the strongest steel Asgard had to offer- it was nigh indestructible and had the potential power of a nuclear bomb. She never let it leave her side, no matter where she went. And she'd definitely need it for this.
She thrust the weapon outward, a small forcefield forming to shield her from the sudden burst of pure flame that nearly hit her body. As endurable as she was, she'd prefer not to have her armor being heated up further. It was incredibly uncomfortable.
The beam was coming from Surtur's mouth- the horned demon drawing his sword up into both hands before giving a great swing at the woman. He towered over her with ease, standing at a full 10 feet tall- looking down upon her 5'11 form with ease. Atali didn't let this deter her wrath in any way, and merely kept at the demon to avoid the attack and deliver one of her own.
As she neared his head and swung her axe she found herself being flung aside with ease, a fiery hand smacking her aside. As she collided with the ground she slid across it- nearly falling into a puddle of lava nearby. She withdrew her body quickly and turned just in time to roll out of the way of another flame burst.
With a glare sent her way, Surtur raised his left hand, lava dripping from the tips of his fingers. She didn't understand at first, but soon found the ground around her rumbling with such force that it took her off of her feet. She arose quickly, and found the ground around her shifting before latching onto her body.
It shifted more and more before hardening, leaving her left hand free and Soulstar still hanging in it- every other part of her body save for her head covered in hardened brimstone. She looked on as Surtur approached- sliding his sword into a sheathe upon his back and looking at her with a glare. He reached down then, lifting her left hand up and attempting to wiggle her weapon from its grip.
It failed, and she merely chuckled at him. "A lot stronger than I look." She commented as he bared his teeth- staring into her eyes. The grin that rested on her face was enough to insight his rage once again, and he happily struck her with his large fist- leaving a small burn against her cheek. The burn mark faded soon after and the woman spat at him.
"You're trash Surtur." She said, much to his annoyance. He planted his hand on top of her head and began to squeeze with as much force as he could muster- drawing out a pained look from the woman.
"I am a king...I care not for the words of a peasant such as yourself." He said, watching carefully as her face contorted from the squeezing.
Her eyes slammed shut then- bringing a smirk to the Fire Demon's face. "Yes child...feel the burn of a demon's ire. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson."
"It has….its taught me to do this before I get cornered." She replied, eyes opening with a burst of yellow light. Surtur looked on in bewilderment, but soon found the woman's axe slamming into his face and knocking him to the ground.
The weapon slowed its flight and rushed back into her palm, its blade glowing with the same energy. Soon her body fumbled before finally erupting, the same energy breaking her from the hardened rock.
She launched herself into the air then and launched herself onto Surtur, landing on his midriff before driving the energy charged axe into his chest. There was an explosion of energy that spanned a half mile- leaving many onlookers in concern.
The other Wingmaidens- Minden and Nadia dropped their guard to look on, soon beginning to move towards the energy source.
As the dust settled, Atali found herself partly slightly while staring at the broken king. His usually flame emitted body was snuffed, all that was left was a body of brimstone with barely enough flame to light a candle. He stared at her with a look of shock, though showed no fear.
"You've beaten me….I am at your mercy." We're his next words, Atali's axe soon resting upon the gap of his neck.
"Tell me why your army attacked the Hidden World…" she said, Surtur looking up at the sky.
"We had no choice…." He began, her eyebrows lifting in questioning. He soon went on to explain. "We were threatened by a higher power...a man who I couldn't even bring down. Look around you, child." He continued, Atali pausing to look over Muspelheim.
The land was a smaller size than most- fire pits, lava puddles and brimstone riddling everything. "We're a smaller realm, smaller than most...easy to wipe away with the right power...or the right army."
His eyes moved over to the puddle that Atali had almost fallen into earlier. "This man could've done it if he wished...but he spared us and asked a favor instead."
"What favor?" She asked then, her ears peeking up slightly as she heard Minden and Nadia's feet approaching.
"The downfall of the Hidden World...he wanted all of the dragons dead...and he wanted my army to do it." He explained, Atali smirking slightly,
"I suppose he didn't expect a group of warrior women to stop you all?" She asked, Surtur shaking his head.
"It would appear not...though I'm certain he'll return." He went on, lifting himself up slightly despite his wounds. His eyes rested on the Wingmaidens then.
"Hear my words….if you seek to fight this man, you have my army….we will stone for what we've done, and we will make him pay for his threats."
Atali nodded as she placed her axe away, looking to her maidens before returning to the demon king. "We appreciate it ...now tell me please. Who is this man?"
Surtur's eyes narrowed. "He goes by...Grimmel."
……
"Grimmel the Grisly- a known assassin and magic wielder." Nadia explained as they loaded up the Asgardian transport Pod that usually rested near the cove.
Upon finding the man's name, the Wingmaidens made their return to the Hidden World and began to prepare Atali for a search. "He's said to hold teachings from some of the greatest magic wielders, as well as charms from them. Supposedly his body is bonded to the blood of Loki." She went on, Atali stopping to think for a moment.
"I'm gonna have to speak with Mother Freya on this. Perhaps she'll know more." She says, Nadia nodding as she closed her black leather book.
"Be careful sister. You'll alert us if anything goes downwards?" She asks, Atali smiling to both her and Minden who'd mostly remained silent. With a sudden motion, she pulled the two into a hug before releasing
"I'll be alright. Have care with the dragons- and keep them safe while I'm away. Once I've found this Grimmel, I will alert you both." She confirmed, Minden placing a hand onto her shoulder and gripping it gently.
"You'd better. We won't know what to do without you." She said with a smile of her own. Nadia loaded a bit of purple energy into the communication tube in her pod then looked to her with a nod.
"It's all ready...based on what Surtur could show and the magical energy residue left from Grimmel's fight with him, I've managed to find his energy trail. Now you simply trace it down."
"Too easy." Atali responded as she leapt into the pilot's seat, the canopy of the pod soon closing shut. She looked to her sisters with one final smile and wave, her pod lifting off and taking away in a blur.
Her eyes shifted to the radar that sat before her- like a holograph from earth but powered by Asgardian magic. Each pod, ship and cruiser had one, helping its pilot set and find their course. But if needed, such as now, it will find a trail so long as it has the proper magical attachments.
Her smirk couldn't be hidden at Nadia's work. It was a bit complex, but nothing too wild. She truly valued her sisters- their individual mindsets and capabilities were amazing. She knew she could trust this.
And soon, she found it. A new hint of his energies converging to form a portal to another realm. "Midgard?" She asked herself as she saw it.
"I don't get it...why the Helheim is he going so far out of his way?!"
"This is Atali to Minden...still no sign of Grimmel yet...but I've found a potential target."
"And where would that be?" Came a reply over the communication jewel that rested in the console.
"Midgard...I'm on my way now."
Location: Dragon's Edge
Oh how he hated these shifts. The constant annoyance of his shift partner as he tapped a rhythm against the wall with his metal tipped gloves was enough to drive even the calmest man mad. The sounds of the men beyond the door laughing or nerding out over new algorithms and breakthroughs didn't help to ease that feeling in the slightest. The man's eyes ran across the silver tiled floor beneath his feet and over to his shift partner. He was a bit shorter than him, but of a slightly larger build- wearing the same red armor that he had.
Both men wore helmets upon their heads with black plexiglass eyes- that made it damn near impossible to see in the dark he might add. Despite the disadvantages of their uniforms, the suits were pretty durable. He'd give his boss that much. But that didn't mean it wasn't incredibly uncomfortable to wear. He looked to the other man's weapon- an M-16 with a magazine loaded into it- and then back to the floor.
"Jim….why are we here?" He asked finally, the other guard looking to him in bewilderment ( though his face was shrouded by his helmet)
"What uh...what do you mean Phil?" Jim asked.
"Why are we here?! How the hell did we even wind up here?" He asked, being more thorough in his questioning. Jim shrugged at Phil's question.
"Poor life decisions that led us to a weird nerd fest that needed guards?" He asked, watching as Phil nodded and released a sigh,
"I should've stayed in art school." He said before leaning against the wall and allowing his eyes to travel up to the ceiling.
"I agree." Game an obviously disguised voice, Phil turning just in time for his helmet to be punched clean off his head and onto the floor. Before he could recover, he found his mouth being covered by a gloved hand and the side of his neck receiving enough pressure to cause his body to seize up. He looked up while slumping to the floor and met the eyes of Fanghook , who had just finished with Jim, staring down at him.
From there all he saw was the darkness as his eyes slowed shut.
"Thank Odin we stopped them before they started giving their whole backstories. I would've fallen asleep." Fanghook commented as he looked at the metallic door before them, Night Fury reaching down to search the man he'd just taken out.
"Check for any access cards, it'll make entering areas quicker." The older hero said, causing Fanghook to sigh softly before doing the same on the other guard. A moment or so of rummaging through the openings in the man's armor later, he pulled some sort of key card free and tucked it away into one of his belt pouches. "Found one."
"And I make two. Ready to make an entrance?" Night Fury asked with a smirk as Fanghook drew out his escrima sticks and conjoined them- forming a five foot long bo staff from the weapons.
He gave a subtle nod to his mentor before he turned towards the door and sent a sharp yet powerful kick towards its center- taking it off its hinges and causing it to slide a few feet inside.
The six men inside all turned towards them with weapons drawn. Fanghook raised his hands up in a submissive manner as he eyed the men, but kept his staff loosely in his left hand. "Guys come on, I just came to talk." He said, smirking as his mentor shot several V-Shaped shuriken out that landed on various parts of the men's weapons- a small electric shock soon running through the guns.
"He came to fight you though." He finished as Night Fury came to stand beside him, both of them taking their respective stances as the men fiddled with their now disabled weapons.
One of the men, who had a black helmet and black gloves as opposed to the usual red ones, stared at the other men then at the heroes. "What are you waiting for?!? Get em!!" He shouted, leading the men to hesitantly rush towards the vigilantes.
"After you?" Night Fury asked with a smile as Fanghook nodded and ran towards the head of the small group, launching down to slide into the man's leg and bring him to the floor. As soon as he landed, Fanghook shot up into a backflip and landed with both feet crashing onto the top of the man's helmet- the force sending him into a dazed state.
He swung out his staff next and slammed the edge into the center of another man's chest, smirking as he overhead his mentor taking on three other men behind him. The bo staff left a small dent in the man's armor, much to his surprise.
"Man, your suits must be made of paper mache or something!" The young hero commented as he drew back and slammed the staff into the side of the man's neck, taking him to the floor. The man rolled onto his back and brought his forearms up just in time to block the next swing, but wasn't swift enough to block Fanghook's kick to his right leg.
After this kick, he was thrown off guard- leaving a perfect opening. Fanghook forced the edge of his staff under the man's chin and sent out a 10,000 volt shock that spread throughout the man's body- finally taking him into an unconscious state.
As he turned back, he found their leader had finally decided to join the fray with a unique weapon- a double pronged stun baton with a small electric field surrounding the prongs. The man swung at Fanghook and grunted softly as the young man blocked with his staff, applying some opposing force to the confrontation.
"Okay, I gotta admit. That's pretty cool." Fanghook said with a smile as Night Fury tosses his last opponent aside and commented
"Don't compliment the bad guys!" From behind him. The dark clad form of the Night Fury shot overhead to grab the man from behind, throwing him off for a kick to the throat by Fanghook. After the kick, Fanghook fired a wire up into the ceiling then swept the man's legs.
As he fell to the floor, he felt a small push upon his back. Soon the ground beneath him began to space itself, and it occurred to him that he was being lifted up by something.
The man looked down with a scowl as he found himself dangling from the ceiling by the same wire that had been shot up before, both heroes looking up at him.
"Like it? I like to call this the punching bag line." Fanghook said as he sent a sharp punch to the center of the man's helmet.
The young hero gave a chuckle before turning back to the darker clad mentor he'd come with- Night Fury already approaching the computer terminal and beginning to hack into their server.
"So what're we looking at here?" Fanghook asked as he strolled over and stood beside him, his eyes soon locking onto the screen.
"An enemy to the AHDU." Was his mentor's response- a black flash drive soon being inserted into the computer from his belt. "Seems these guys call themselves BEWILDER. They're a branch of Drago's old company, focused on the more data based parts of his twisted schemes. Their leader is apparently a man named Alvin Treacher."
"So he's who we're after then."
"He was. Alvin has reformed since Drago's takedown and given up any information he had on the operations- including about BEWIDLER." The man replied much to Fanghook's chagrin.
"Then how are they still active?" The young man asked next, Night Fury turning to face him.
"That's what we're gonna figure out."
"Gentlemen, is hate to cut your little night out short but we've got a problem." Came a voice over both of their communicators. The two vigilantes shared a knowing look as Astrid's voice faded from the comm link, Fanghook giving a soft sigh as they began to exit the building.
"Well at least we got a lead." Night Fury said then,
………
Location: Vespa City
It started out so simple.
Flashes of white light crossed his eyes, giving them a slight burn. He tried to struggle once again against the tight ropes that held him to the wooden chair, looking on as the door to the warehouse slid shut- the white light of the vehicle outside being shut out. Even then, he could still faintly hear the sound of the engine running along with the pouring rain.
It was all just another night in Vespa City. He'd returned to try to clean up the streets a bit more and tie up some loose ends he'd left open in his downfall, and one of those loose ends caught him off guard. Or atleast they thought.
The man that approached had a face that only a mother could love, scars littering from brow to chin. His dark red beard carried several stains of gray, cold blue eyes locking onto the bound form before him.
"Well….if it isn't the mysterious Mister Unknown." The man said. He was fairly short, reaching a height of 5'5. Scott couldn't help but to stifle a laugh as the short man reached him, before being smacked against this right cheek by the man's heavily decorated left hand.
"I'm sorry...you're just so short I could barely hear your little comment." Scott replied as the rough handed man laid another hit upon his currently bare face.
"You're gonna regret those words. Scott Jorgenson, Eh? What the fucks a dead man doing stopping my operations?" The man asked as he began to walk around his chair, two taller men donned in black and white suits and ties standing on either side of Scott.
"Eh, being dead got boring. Figured busting up drug lords would be much more fun than rotting away." Was the black haired anti-hero's response as he gave a smirk, soon receiving a punch to the right side of his face in return.
He chuckled to himself as the hit set in, then turned towards the munchkin of a man again. "Dude, you hit like a toddler."
"Don't try to fucking embarrass me!!" The man screamed then, drawing a switchblade from his left pants pocket and jamming it into Scott's knee.
Scott winced slightly, but simply began to laugh as his leg ran red from the stab wound.
"Stop laughing!!" Came the next shout from the angered drug lord as he punched Scott square in the nose, the opposing man not even reeling slightly from the hit.
"I can't.." Scott replied in between laughs, much to the other man's chagrin. "You guys are so fucked and you don't even realize it!" He then shouted, leaving the shorter man and his two men bewildered.
"What the hell are you on about?" Came one of the bodyguards as he reached into his coat pocket.
"Dude, my hands are free." Scott said, taking all of them by surprise. There was something about him that the men hadn't noticed. Mainly because he was wearing gloves. One of his hands was made of silver metal, hell the whole right arm was. And it whirred to life allowing him to cut free. His next motion surprised them even more as he launched out and grabbed the short man by the throat, lifting him up into a headlock while pulling the knife from his knee.
"Alright guys, lets play ball." He said with a dark grin as he drug the blade across the man's neck slowly.
"Hey, calm down!!" The short drug lord shouted as his eyes widened in fear- the cold touch of the blade making him worry for his life.
"I'm so tired of people saying that." Scott said before finally plunging the knife into the man's throat in an unforgiving motion, then dragging the blade to the left to fully cut it open.
The small body dropped onto the floor, laying still. The blade rested now in the palm of Scott's hand as he glared at the other two, who stared in shock at their boss' body.
"The name Unknown is cool and all...but I prefer Nightmare." Scott said as he launched the knife towards the man on the right- plunging it into his eye just as the other man drew out a handgun.
Scott was however quicker, and grabbed the man's wrist then twisted it back in a swift motion, snapping it and leading the gun to drop towards the floor. Catching it with his foot, he kicked it back up and scooped it up into his waiting hand before firing a shot into the man's head.
As his body dropped, Scott spun on his left heel and fired three shots into the last man's chest- just as he pulled the knife from his eye.
With all of them dead, he was free to walk….or limp...out of the warehouse. And he planned to do just that, pulling open the door to the building with a smirk.
He expected to be met with the rampant downpour outside and the awaiting headlights of the stalled vehicle. He had not expected to be met with about twelve more men armed with pistols aiming at him and about four more vehicles waiting.
His face dropped slightly as he saw them, his eyes scanning over each and every single man and their weapon. His face then formed into a smirk once again.
My names Scott Jorgenson if you didn't catch that already….code name : Nightmare
Scott simply walked towards the fray.
I'm a bit of a hothead as my cousin would say. But I honestly think there's a lot more to me than just aggression…
"So what else is there to you?" She'd asked, her dixon Ticonderoga pencil tapping against the loose leaf notepad that rested in her lap. He wondered why she'd use a pencil rather than a pen, but that was probably the least of anyone's concerns at the moment.
They were currently in the AHDU headquarters located near the Dragon's Edge city coast, going over a story of one of Scott's recent ventures. He'd had quite a few since receiving his new arm.
Scott simply gave a sigh in response as he leaned back on the sky blue couch, looking over at the woman in the chair with a bored look.
"If you'd really like to know, join me for dinner. You'll find a lot about the Scottman then." He replied as the therapist gave a roll of her eyes and brought two fingers to rub her temple.
"Sorry, Scottman, I don't date ruthless aggressors." She replied then, much to his dismay.
He lifted himself up then and stared at her. "So you do think I'm just aggressive." Was his response, the brown haired woman before him giving an exasperated sigh as she scribbled another note onto the pad.
"No. I think you're better than that, just simply using the term since you're so used to it." She said then. Scott cut his eyes at her and gave a subtle sneer.
"Vanessa. Let's be straightforward with each other. I'm a psychopathic anti-hero and you're a bee whisperer. Yet you're sitting here counseling me like I'm one of your little yellow friends." He commented much to her chagrin.
"I'm licensed as both a physicist and have a minor in psychology. The fact that I chose to study bees doesn't necessarily concern you." She said as she moved to write something else onto her pad.
"Mhmm...and the fact that you're in the AHDU's science department working with tech that allows you to literally talk with bees?" He asked then, finally moving the conversation from himself and over to her.
"The H.I.V.E.* Technology is revolutionary. Me and Dr. Law have been hard at work on perfecting it."
{*Hardware for Insect Visitation and Elocution}
"And the suit?" He asked with a smile.
"Just a formality." Was her response as she gave a smile of her own.
"I don't know Vanessa. You can talk to bees, have a special suit for it...I think I smell the origin story." Scott
sat up and proceeded to pop his back on the couch, Vanessa gave a roll of her eyes at his antics.
"Scott we've been over this. The C.E.N.T.R.I.S.* Is just a bridge for communication and colonization.."
{*C.E.N.T.R.I.S.-the Communication and Extensive Natural Tonnage Research Insect Suit }
"I know, but it's still really cool. You can talk with them , that suit allows you to shrink to their size and you can fly...you're a superhero rather you like it or not."
"Eh, I prefer super scientist." She replied with a chuckle as Scott stood up finally, allowing his mechanical arm to whirl around under the black tank top he wore. He was back in proper fighting form after his rehabilitation- these therapy sessions having become a regular thing for the two of them now.
He held out his regular arm then, hand open for her to take. She took it and arose to her feet, standing about an inch taller than him.
"Now what was that about not dating ruthless aggressors?" He asked as she rolled her eyes once again.
"I suppose I can give you a chance." She said with a soft smile as the two of them made their way out of the office and into the halls, walking past several glass walls in the psychology area. They could see the other patients being treated for their mental issues along the way, a fact that uneased Scott's stomach a bit. He felt Vanessa's grip on his hand tighten slightly, and turned to her.
"Don't worry. They're all going to be alright." She said, getting a subtle nod from him in response. The two made their way into the elevator, Vanessa scanning her key card against the holographic screen that displayed the floors.
"What's going on?" Scott asked then, feeling her hand finally slip away from his own.
"We've been dating for about two months now. Since you guys defeated Viggo and ya know, started your rehabilitation. I just felt it best you see what I love to do…" she said, a bit shy with her explanation at first. She found him giving a soft smile as the elevator went all the way up, leading into the primary lab area.
It was very similar to the floor they'd just left- to all of the floors even. Though there was a slight decrease in lighting, it had the same glass panel walls and white tiles that made him feel so...odd. As they walked down the main corridor, he noticed her change in pace as she moved towards her work area.
It was a more closed off section, two white metal doors sliding open to allow them entry. There they were met with a large beehive behind a glass wall and several scientists dressed in white beekeeper suits and carrying clipboards as they studied it.
"So the primary thing we do here is try to figure out more about bee hormone secretion. The Queen Bee is very complex, and it's also something I'd love to truly wrap my head around." Vanessa explained as Scott tried not to become confused.
"Right...hormones."
"So far we've actually managed to create a form of replica pheromone- the peculiar scent and chemical basis actually pushes the cerebellum to comply with tasks it's been given. It's weird...like insect mind control." Vanessa continued as she walked over to a single area, her eyes locking onto a gray, black and gold suit behind a glass case.
"And of course- the C.E.N.T.R.I.S. Designed for bee communication and enhanced to help us actually interact with them more." She explained, Scott crossing his arms as he looked over it,
"Interact how?" He asked, watching as she gave a chuckle and moved to unlock the C.E.N.T.R.I.S. Case and removed the suit from its stand.
"It's better I show you." She said then, walking off through another door nearby.
As she left, he took the time to really take in everything he'd been shown. It all seemed so strange, but at the same time very cool. He had an uneasy feeling about being in the lab, flashbacks of Drago's own lair coming to mind. His mind was taken from those thoughts as he felt a strange sensation, his senses heightening as his ears picked up on the fluttering of wings.
"A bug? Did one of the bees get free or something?" He asked himself aloud, turning as the yellow and black spec flew past his nose, nearly invisible to his sight. But as his eyes adjusted, they widened.
The spec flew a few feet away, then it began to shake slightly. Not even a full second later, Vanessa stood before him wearing the C.E.N.T.R.I.S. The Bee Faced visor of the silver helmet popped upwards, revealing her face for him to see.
"Woah….definitely a super suit." He commented with a smirk, getting another eye roll from her. "Not a super suit!" She replied as she removed the helmet and allowed her hair to flow freely.
"If you say so." He responded while moving toward her. The woman then tapped onto the side of the helmet before sliding it back on and shrinking back down once again.
"Is this gonna be a constant thing?" He asked then, feigning annoyance to hide his true feelings of interest. He most likely wouldn't admit it aloud- as he didn't fully understand it, but this was very remarkable. He found himself being pulled from his thoughts by his communicator going off in his pocket, a sigh coming from his lips as he looked around for Vanessa.
She appeared a moment later, sitting full sized on the table beside him with her helmet off. "Duty calls?" She asks as he gives a sigh.
"Sadly. But a hero's work is never done." He responds without a smile before pulling her into a hug, followed by an abrupt kiss. He truly enjoyed their time together- despite how short it had been. In the time since meeting her and going through his therapy with her, he'd found a lot of familiarity with Vanessa- a familiarity he'd felt only once before.
He knew he trusted her when he told her about Heather. That was the staple in their newfound relationship. He brushed off these thoughts, opting instead to focus on making his way to his motorcycle and heading to the Immortal Edge.
Immortal Edge
"So, a very weird energy surge just hit the outer atmosphere of our planet. I don't know if the government or AHDU has picked up on it yet, but I think we need to investigate somehow." Astrid began, her Stormfly mask laying on the table of the room.
Everyone had arrived as they been asked- Night Fury, Nightmare, Nightlight, Windshear (Mala), Changewing, Fanghook, Typhoon, Barf, Belch, and even Toothless. They'd gained another new member as well- their longtime friend Huntress finally joining the fray. The archer looked over to Toothless with a small smile m. The dog rested on Hiccup's lap, his head against the man's stomach as he slept soundly during the briefing.
"So how exactly do we get to space?" Eret asked then, having no idea how they'd pull it off. That's when Hiccup smiled as he raised his hand.
"We've been working on that…"
They'd ventured into the hangar- the very last floor of the underground base. Each of them wore strange neck attachments- highly similar to the power restricting collars developed by Drago.
As they entered the area, most of their eyes widened. Save for Hiccup, Astrid, Camicazi and Scott would been primarily working on the new vehicle. Before them stood a large jet- nearly half the size of an airplane. It had a jet black finish, four wings that protruded from the back near the engines, backup rotors, and rotating jet turbines.
"What is this?" Eret asked first, his face shifting into a smirk.
"This is the Immortal X-Wing." Was Astrid's response, her smile never shifting from her face as she leaned against the entryway to the new jet.
Hiccup walked up beside her and motioned towards the aircraft. "My dad gifted it to me- or at least the base of it- as a birthday gift. For the past few months we worked on it to prepare it for the worst. More shielding- more speed, more durability and more weapons. This thing can handle space without a problem." He said then.
"Holy shit!" Barf swore as the Terror Twins began to rush towards the ship, bumping one another to gain distance. Eventually they found themselves falling flat onto the entryway, Belch on top of Barf with a sneer. "Get off me idiot!" Barf complained much to Belch's annoyance. He pushed himself up onto his feet and carried on into the ship, his sister following after with a glare beneath her helmet.
Hiccup rolled his eyes at Terror Twins' antics and merely waited for everyone else to board the ship. Soon after getting over their initial reactions to the inside of the fourteen man carrier- he took the helm of the pilot's seat which was at the front- behind a control console and a specially made steering system. Astrid took to the navigation seat which was right across from him, easy to look over to one another in times of danger.
"Already Immortals, ready time ride?" Astrid asked as she tapped onto her collar, a blue holo shield coming over her head before disappearing. The others followed suit before giving nods or whoops as assurance. The ship began to rumble as its engines finally started up, the jet turbines rotating to face the wall behind them as the jet began to move forward- the wall in front of the ship sliding open to reveal a look at the coast line.
It was a slow exit to begin, same as any plane flight. But that changed the second the wheels lifted off the ground and retracted into the ship's body- everyone felt the push as it shot off into the skyline. It was like watching an actual rocket take flight if viewed from afar. Each Immortal felt their bodies being pushed back during their ascent- ears popping with every foot of height gained.
Belch had a wild look beneath his mask, seemingly enjoying the rush that was coming from the flight. Barf has an opposite reaction and could feel her stomach turning from the force.
When the ship finally began to slow down, they all lurched forward. It was then that Fanghook looked up with wide eyes at the sight before them. "We did it...we're in space… Oh my Thor I'm in space!" He said then, Night Fury turning to smirk at his apprentice.
"Oh my Thor I'm in space and I had a history report due tomorrow. What if it takes us a whole year to get back, but to everyone else it's only been a day?!? What if the ship explodes?!? What if-"
"Gustav." Night Fury called as he looked back with concern upon his face. "We're gonna be alright. It's just a simple mission- checking out some weird energy signatures and heading on home. No biggie, alright?"
Though they were a good four feet apart (as Gustav took the seat closest to Hiccup to remain near his mentor) he still felt the sentiment behind the man's words. The fifteen year old nodded as he took in a breath and released it1 a small smile coming onto his face soon. "Right. Right. Small mission.." he uttered, making Hiccup smile as he turned back around.
"You are just amazing with kids aren't you?" Astrid asks as her eyes move over the energy radar on their ship's dash. Hiccup shrugged in response "I do pretty good." He said then, her eyes cutting up to look at the side of his face before looking back down.
"I...I need to tell you somethi-" she had begun, her words being cut off by a flash of blue light from outside.
"Well that's definitely some unnatural light." Hiccup commented, his eyes widening as a portal of some sort opened up. A moment later, a small older looking ship rushed through it, just barely missing the X-Wing. "Woah!!! Did somebody get the number of that thing?!?" Hiccup asked before he changed their course, turning to chase after the new ship.
Atali cursed under her breath as she saw that she was being followed by a much larger aircraft- though she had to admit it was much faster than it looked. She began to perform some evasive maneuvers- leading her ship into a spiral before breaking off and heading towards her goal.
"Are these humans?" She asked herself as she prepared for atmospheric entry. She didn't know the difference in gravitational pulls down here- how different it would be from the Hidden World. She was surprised to find it to be quite similar as her ship barreled towards the surface of the planet- heading to land on a beach in Florida.
The beach was alive with activity, as it had been spring break. With all the music booming and the teens partying, she found it quite frustrating to plot a landing course. Ultimately she opted to settle upon the water below, knowing her ship could be submerged with no issue. And so, she rushed into the sea- though didn't notice that everyone had stopped their partying to watch her enter the water.
Soon the whole ship was engulfed in water- no one speaking a single word on the situation. Finally, someone who was smart enough to read a situation called "We should leave!!!". It seemed everyone present could agree and began to exit the beach.
They soon stopped as Atali walked from the water and onto the beach line completely soaked, water being spat out onto the sand in annoyance. "I hate water landings." She said as she brandished her axe and pointed it at someone nearby. "You! What do you know of Grimmel?!" She asked, the young man looking on in confusion. He'd lifted his hands up in a surrendering notion as well, hoping to avoid raising her rage any further.
"Uh...Grimmel?" He asked, looking on as Atali nodded. "I uh, I deadass don't know who or what that is." He said as he looked at his beer and raised it to her. "But I know what beer is! Want one?" He asked, much to her annoyance.
Atali rolled her eyes and tapped the side of the bottle gently. "No I don't…" she began, taking a moment to think to herself. "Perhaps one. It's been a Helheim of a day."
After she took the drink from the young man, she chugged it down with ease and gave a smile as she threw the bottle to the ground. "Get me another!" She called, watching as the young man took off. He returned a moment later with two more bottles, handing them over to the mysterious woman.
She popped both of their tops, allowing Soulstar to rest in the sand as she drank them both down. "Hm, you've appeased me, human. I thank you." She said then, moving to one knee and lowering her head as a sign of respect.
"How grateful." Called a voice, the woman turning to meet the dark clad Night Fury as he and the rest of the Immortals approached the shoreline- the X-Wing having been parked down the beach.
"Who are you?" She asked, rising back to her feet and ignoring the man who'd gifted her the drinks.
"We're the Immortals- we defend this planet. And you almost knocked us clean out of space." Replied Typhoon as she locked her sights on Atali's axe, looking to Stormfly so she'd take note of it too. Though Stormfly backed away, not willing to jump into combat soon.
"Immortals? Pfft, I've seen real immortals before and struck some down. You seem to be frauds." Atali responses as she lifted her axe once again, eyes glowing as she locked onto them.
"Let's not get into a scrap just yet lass." Huntress called as she knocked back an arrow with a spherical tip- aimed at the strange woman. The redhead hadn't been an immortal for long, but even still she wouldn't allow any unneeded confrontation within her ranks. Her eyes stayed on Atali even as the newcomer began to move towards them.
"Why are you here?" Night Fury asked then, a hand hovering over his belt. He looked to Fanghook for a moment- the younger dragon getting the notion and moving towards the left side of his belt.
"I'm here for Grimmel- he's come here for something and I need to know why." Atali responded, watching as they readied themselves for war. Her face twisted into a scowl for a moment. "And if you stand in my way, you will fall." She said- Nightmare scoffing
"Who is Grimmel?" AskedFanghook, keeping his hand over the pouch. He didn't trust this, not in the slightest. But he'd hoped the woman was sensible.
"A magic wielder- one seeking to wipe out all dragons left alive." She replied- her glare focusing onto the young figure.
"Dragons?" Night Fury asked as he dropped his guard. "Dragons are extinct."
"To your kind they are. They still exist, and I am charged with protecting them all." Atali said then, still not dropping her guard. She hadn't known yet if she could trust these strangers- but they seemed to be highly interested in her business there.
"Riiight." Nightmare said as he moved a hand over the hilt of his sword, Atali's shooting towards him.
"It'd behoove you all to draw no more weapons." She said then, preparing for the worst.
"Let's all calm down." Night Fury called as he motioned towards her. "Just come with us and tell us some more about all this- I swear we won't attack if you don't."
She dropped her scowl for a moment, seeming to weigh her options. It was true she was more than wanting to avoid more conflict, so a simple talk would bode well. She softened her grip on Soulstar then, placing the valued weapon into her thigh holster.
"I'd prefer to speak." She said.
Immortals Edge
"So you're an Asgardian and you protect dragons on another planet?" Hiccup asked as he looked across the table at Atali, who'd removed the shoulder guards from her armor for more comfort. She merely nodded in response while drinking from the bottle of beer she'd been given- with about fourteen empty bottles resting off to the side of the table.
"Yes. The Hidden World was recently under attack from Muspelheim- further investigation told me that a man known as Grimmel had threatened them into attacking, wanting to wipe out the dragons. Why? I'm unsure- but I shall make sure to beat that explanation out of him." She said
"And he's supposedly on Earth?" Hiccup asked as he released a sigh. "Can we ever get a break?" He asked no one in particular. While it had been around two months since Viggo's downfall, the Immortals still never got much of a time off.
"We'll be more than willing to help you Atali. This is our planet and the Immortals don't stand for genocidal maniacs taking up refuge here." He said while rising to his feet, the woman doing the same. She was barely any shorter than him, which made him feel a bit intimidated- but nonetheless he struck out a hand to the woman.
She took the gesture, placing her forearm into his hand and wrapping her own hand around his- giving a subtle squeeze as a sign of respect. "I thank you Henry, and will be certain to repay you and your allies for your assistance."
Hiccup cocked an eyebrow at that, but left the conversation there. He turned and left the meeting room to go and find Astrid, feeling he'd find her in the kitchen if anything. She'd been there a lot recently. His hunch was correct, and he found his girlfriend washing off a plate before she turned to face him.
"Hey." She said, her eyes seemingly a bit red. She dried off the plate and placed it onto a rack nearby before walking over to hug him.
"Hey."
"So, how'd it go with Space Axe Girl?" Astrid asked with a subtle smile as she released her grip, Hiccup giving a gentle shrug in response.
"She's gonna join us- or rather we're gonna join her in finding this Grimmel guy. Once all is said and done she's gonna head back to her home."
"That's great." Astrid said then, turning her attention away from him and towards the cupboards. He moved a step closer to her and rested both hands upon her shoulders.
"So, what did you want to tell me earlier?" He asked, her eyes widening slightly as she quickly turned to face him again.
"It was nothing. I was just Uh...nervous about the whole space trip thing is all- nothing big." She said, attempting to pass it off to the man. In their time together, she'd found that it's very hard to lie to a man who can hear your heartbeat.
But she remained calm through the moment, and used her own powers to stabilize her heartbeat with a very small controlled shock to the arteries. Absolutely painless, and absolutely perfect.
He quirked an eyebrow at her then, soon smiling. "Well so long as you're alright. I'm gonna go help Atali get acquainted with everyone and maybe find a room for her." He said, reaching down to plant a kiss upon her forehead.
She closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall into his touch for a moment before he drew back, much to her disappointment. He headed towards the door with his eyes lingering upon her- her eyes doing the same.
She gave a small wave. "I'll be in our room." Was all she said as he finally left. It took a moment of silence to assure he was far enough away, but she soon turned away from the door and allowed her eyes to water slightly.
Welcome to Arc 3 ladies and gentlemen. You've met our newest hero- Atali, and you've been reintroduced to another one- Huntress (AKA Merida). I felt like the team really needed an archer this time around so, here we go.
But onto other things- this originally was gonna be much shorter with a few spin off stories to tie into it- but after starting those I realized I couldn't keep up. So I just expanded this first chapter a bit.
What do you think Astrid was going to tell Hiccup?
Let me know your guesses in the reviews- and please leave me some good reviews this time around! Love you guys, XO out!