I woke up in a field, laying in the tall grass. It brushed against my bare arms, and through my clothes. Above me the sun was high in the sky illuminating the field. I sat up slowly, holding my head. Memories scorched through my mind like a wild fire. Yet another cliff sat to my left on the edge of my vision, dark and ominous on the horizon.

Is this what being dead feels like?

I looked to my right and saw my grandmother standing a few feet away, her beautiful brown hair falling in loose wave over her was wearing her full battle armor, something that I had only seen once, the day we left Asgard. She opened her arms wide to me, and smiled widely. I rose swiftly and threw myself into her embrace, her arms wrapping around me, comforting me. Hot tears ran down my face, running into her long hair.

"Cadence we don't have much time." My grandmother murmured into my hair.

I looked up at her, shocked that she had spoken.

"Are we dead?" I asked her pulling away from her.

She pursed her lips together, and didn't say anything.

Dread flashed through me.

"Cadence, you are not dead. I had to make a hard decision and you need to understand what happens next." She pleaded putting her hands on my shoulders, shaking me.

I nodded slowly, and tried to focus on what she was saying.

"I am sending you back to Asgard. But there are things that are going to happen that you will not understand." She swallowed. "I'm sorry that we didn't have enough time, I should have told you. I should have prepared you." Her voice broke.

"Wait, you are sending me back to Asgard?" I asked her. We hadn't been back in years, we had no idea what was happening there.

"Yes, but you need to understand that knowledge is power, and those things about Hela, they happened so long ago, and Odin took precautions to make the people of Asgard safe. You will be the only one who remembers her, and you can't reveal that to anyone"

At the sound of her name, the sun seemed to dim a little and the wind picked up, whipping my hair into my face.

"How do you know?" I questioned her. "We haven't had contact with anyone in Asgard in years, how do you know what happened?"

"I've seen it." She said quietly.

"You've seen it?" A tremor shook the ground beneath our feet.

My grandmother's eyes shot up to look around us, almost as if she was looking for someone. Her gaze dropped quickly back to me.

"Cadence listen to me. You have great power, and you won't understand it at first, but you will be able to control it some day." Her voice broke once more. "I just wish I could have been there to see it." Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, and began to fall quickly down her face.

"Grandmother, I don't understand." I choked out, through my own tears.

"I don't expect you to, but one day you will understand." She whispered, her face solemn. Another tremor shook the earth, this one made me stumble a little bit.

"She is here." I heard my grandmother murmur. Her gaze shot to the treeline behind us.

"Who is here?" I asked.

"Remember that I love you, and don't forget that I will always love you. Never be afraid of your power, and let Obsidian guide you." As she spoke those words, the glowing sword appeared in her hands once more.

"Wait, what's happening?" I shouted, confusion and fear flying through my veins.

"Cadence, Obsidian is your now. I give you it's legacy and I bestow my powers on you." As she spoke these words, I began to glow and pain spread through me. I dropped to my knees, but all at once the pain stopped, and I felt stronger than I ever had.

What the hell is happening?

My grandmother helped me off the ground, handing me the giant sword. "You are stronger than anyone I know, always remember that I'm looking out for you." She brushed a stray hair from my face.

"Grandmother don't leave me." I cried out. "I don't want to be alone."

"You will never be alone. I will always be with you." She replied, pulling me against her one more time.

Her arms suddenly tightened on me, and as I looked up into her face, I saw that she was focused on the trees behind us, anger flashing in her eyes, and I turned to look behind us.

A woman stepped from the shadows of the treeline. She was gaunt and pale, dressed in all black. As she walked towards us the plants around her died, turning black and crisp in her wake. A sickening smile marred her beautiful face.

"Hello Eirin." She drawled out.

"Hela." My grandmother growled out.

Fear closed around my throat.

"I've been waiting for you." Hela replied. Her eyes rose to me. "Is this your grandaughter? Well she grew into a beauty didn't she?"

My grandmother pushed me behind her. "She is none of your concern Hela."

"Then again of course she turned into a beauty, her father was quite something." Hela jeered, a sick glint in her eye.

My jaw tightened.

"How dare you speak of my son!" My grandmother roared.

"Oh, must be a sore spot. The person you loved the most you couldn't save, and actually a few people you loved you couldn't save. I welcomed them here just as I will welcome you." Hela taunted, a smirk raising one side of her lips. She raised her hands out in a mocking hug.

My grandmother was on her in the minute, rising off the ground flying towards Hela swiftly. Hela raised her hand easily and caught my grandmother around the throat.

"You have no power here Eirin, but I am glad we finally got to talk this through." Hela said, squeezing her throat tightly.

A cry ripped through my throat and I charged Hela, sword raised above my head. For once in my life, not afraid of death.

My grandmother made eye contact with me, and waved her hand pushing me backward, off the cliff behind me, sending me into oblivion.

I jolted awake on a cold marble floor. Above me the ceiling swirled in golden symbols, never stopping. I sat up slowly, my head still pounding. The room was circular, and was made of gold, more gold than I had ever seen in my lifetime. I stood up shakily, and realized that I was wearing my grandmother's battle armor. Obsidian was sheathed across my back, a giant formidable sword, but it made me feel better to have a weapon in a strange place. A man stood stoic in the center of the room, his giant golden sword sheathed in a pedestal rising from the ground.

His eyes followed my every move, trying to decide if I was a threat.

A giant opening in the wall behind him, displayed a beautiful golden city. And I remembered where I was, Asgard.

I took in a deep breath, and tried to not let the memories of the past define what I thought of the city now.

"So you are the daughter of Astrid and Kain?" The man in the room asked, his voice echoing throughout the large room. "The granddaughter of Eirin the Commander of the Valkyries?"

"Yes, I am, and who are you?" I said, a lot more confidently than I felt.

He nodded once, and removed his sword from the pedestal, and hoisted it on his shoulder.

"I am Heimdall, the gatekeeper of the Bifrost." He said his bright gold eyes watching me.

"Follow me Cadence." He said over his shoulder as he turned to walk towards the golden city.

How did he know my name? How does he know my family?

"I know all and see all." He said calmly.

Well that tells me nothing...

As we walked a heavy silence settled over us.

"I am truly sorry about your loss." He said, breaking the silence.

I swallowed. "Thank you."

"Your grandmother was a brave woman. Not many people would make the sacrifice she did." He continued.

"You knew her?" I asked. My eyes drifted to the bridge beneath us, flashing with every color of the rainbow. Asgard lay before us, more beautiful than I remembered.

"Yes I did, a very long time ago, we were friends." He murmured.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything. I thought I knew everything about my grandmother, but I knew nothing.

We walked through the winding city, and those we passed stared at me and whispered to each other. Obsidian slipped out of the sheath on my back and shifted into a silver circlet, moving around my head, holding my hair out of my face. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I had forgotten how many people there were in Asgard.

Heimdall ignored their stares and continued to walk towards the palace in front of us. It rose so high in the sky it, hurt to look up to see the end of it.

We arrived at the massive doors, guards stood on both sides, trying to look as intimidating as they could.

I took a deep breath, and tried to focus on calming my nerves.

Heimdall nodded at one of the guards, and the giant doors opened in front of us. As soon as we stepped through the doorway, a gasp slipped from my mouth. The throne room was huge, bigger than any room I had ever seen. Gold plated the walls and giant columns that seemed to go on for miles.

In the giant throne in front of us sat Odin. I remembered seeing him more than once in my childhood, because of my grandmother. She would have to leave often to discuss battle strategies and plans, and some days my grandmother would take me with her. I was too young to be left alone and I remember Odin laughing as I sat and watched them plan for the coming war. He used to say that I was the next generation of Valkyrie.

Now as I stood before him, I was afraid. Afraid that he would kill me for what I knew, afraid that he would hate me for what had happened.

"Cadence." Odin's voice boomed across the throne room. Frigga stood to his side, a wide smile on her face.

"Yes, my king." I said bowing low before the throne.

"It has been too long." I heard Odin respond. My gaze was still fixed on the floor.

I felt a strong hand on my shoulder, and I looked up into Odin's blue eye.

"I am sorry, for what has happened, but please walk with me." He requested, helping me to my feet.

I grasped his elbow and he lead me out of the room, out onto the open walk way.

"How much do you remember?" He asked me suddenly.

I was suddenly reminded of my grandmother's warning.

"Only bits and pieces, sir. I just remember having to leave suddenly, in the night." I replied softly.

The birds sang and swooped in and out of the eaves above us. It was nice to be back in Asgard, a feeling of calm settled over me.

"Yes, I'm sorry for what your family had to go through. But do not worry, you won't be troubled for much longer." He said quickly, turning to me.

He placed his hand against my forehead and everything went dark.

I woke in a soft bed, softer than anything I had ever felt in my life. I opened my eyes and saw sunlight, filtering through the open doors on the right of the room that led out to the balcony.

Why am I here?

The door opened and Odin stepped through the door.

I started to rise from the bed, but Odin held out one hand to stop me.

"How are you feeling Cadence?" He asked me.

"I feel much better, but how did I get here?" I asked running one of my hands down the covers in front of me.

A dark look crossed Odin's face.

"Heimdall carried you here Cadence. Your grandmother sent you here. Do you remember?" He inquired, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Memories of Midguard flashed in my head, and everything came back to me. Loss rolled through me in waves, but why was my family on Midguard.

"Why was my family on Midguard?" I looked up into Odin's face.

"Well your family immigrated there to start a new life. They wanted to see what it was like, but I'm sorry it turned out this way." He responded solemnly.

I didn't say anything.

The breeze picked up, ruffling my hair.

"The Midgardians do not respect people who are different. I warned your grandmother not to take you there, but she did not listen. When your father died in that accident, I believe she wanted to get away for a little bit." He continued. "But at least we were able to rescue you Cadence. Now why don't you come downstairs for some breakfast? You look like you could use a good meal."

I nodded slowly. He rose to his feet and glided over to the door.

I rolled out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. I stripped the clothes from my body and walked into the large shower. The warm water felt good on my skin, curing my body of its aches. When I walked out of the bathroom, a long green dress waited for me on my bed.

I grumbled under my breath.

I hate dresses.

I slipped it on over my head and tied my hair up into a tight braid. Obsidian was on my wrist swirling around like a snake, waiting, almost like it was antsy. I left the room, walking slowly in what I hoped was the right direction. There was a guy who looked about my age sitting at the edge of the hallway. His black hair was slicked back on his head, and he was pressed up against the wall reading.

"Good book?" I said smiling.

He jumped, obviously scared that I had caught him. His bright green eyes, made my breath catch.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." I stuttered out, suddenly embarrassed.

A smile worked its way across his face.

"No it's okay. I was just really absorbed in the book. It is really good." He said smiling wider.

I nodded and started to walk past him.

"Hey wait!" He shouted standing up and trying to catch up to me. I stopped so we could walk side by side.

"You're Cadence right?" He asked me, his eyes seemed to grow brighter.

"Yes, but I would prefer you called me Cade."

"I'm Loki."

"It's nice to meet you." I said returning his smile. "Do you know where the kitchen is? I'm starving."

He chuckled lightly. "It's actually that way." He responded pointing behind us.

I stopped walking and turned around slowly. "Of course it is." I sighed heavily.

"It's okay I will show you were it is. Maybe we can eat together." He said.

"That sounds nice."

"Well then, this way Madam." He bowed and offered me his hand.

I laughed and grabbed it tightly. "Thank you."

"Anytime." He declared.

I wasn't afraid of what the future would bring, but it was the past that I had forgotten.