This chapter is up on Tuesday because I honestly thought Monday was Sunday :P
Loki was standing nonchalantly between two trees, his hands clasped behind his back and his feet planted slightly apart, but he looked like hell. His skin was yellowish, his eyes sunken and surrounded by dark rings, and he was hunching ever so slightly.
"Brother." Thor walked forward and stood in front of everyone.
"Not really." Loki grinned, and waved his hand toward the bones. "Now, are you all quite done smashing my toys? I need to return them, and it won't do if they're broken."
"Loki, what do you mean, your toys?"
"That bracelet," Hela interrupted, eyes focusing on her father's arm and walking until she was level with Thor, "what is it?"
He displayed both his arms. "Do you like them, daughter? They're gifts too." He grinned wider.
"He didn't."
"The answer seems to be, quite obviously, yes."
"Hela?" Thor asked.
"He's being controlled."
"Control is such a strong word. Steered towards, I would say."
"Then how do we break it?"
"First I go closer," Hela stepped forward, "and then I put a barrier up because it's going to get nasty," she said as a blurry barrier appeared, creating a cube with just her and Loki inside.
When it cleared, Thor banged on it. The cube rippled with yellow light. "Hela! Are you mad?"
"I'll be fine, uncle. No mind control is ever complete."
Loki turned on his heels and poked the barrier. "How beautiful, a protective barrier." He brushed his fingers along it. "Such a caring soul. You take after your mother." He stalked forward, towering over Hela. "You do know I can break this without a second thought, don't you?"
"I'm aware." She craned her neck, keeping eye contact. "You did, after all, teach me this spell. Although you won't be able to break it without getting exposed." She smiled. "I am also aware you won't do it."
"How so?"
Hela turned around and walked a few steps away, looking at the opposite direction, and clasped her hands behind her back.
"You do not want to be here, doing this," she said. "Most of our backs were to you and you didn't strike, and neither did you try to regain control of the skeletons. I mean, my back is to you right now, you have at least seven knives on your person and I'm still not dead. No mind control is ever complete." She leaned to the side as a knife passed by where her head was a second ago, and she spun around.
Loki was seething. "How do you dare speak to me like that?!" He flung a spell and Hela ducked. "You come here and pretend you know the first thing about life, child. You come here to doubt my conviction?" Another spell flew and was diverted. "Have you ever given everything of yourself to a lie?" Loki sprinted forward and threw a backhanded slap.
Hela rolled away. "Of course I have!" she shouted and ducked another attack. "That's why I am here! And are you even listening to yourself?!" She raised her arm and let a punch skid on her vambrace. "All this shouting of knowing and conviction and lies, you're not even speaking to me!" She rolled left. "I am Hela, your daughter, what wrong have I ever done to you?!"
She saw Loki doubt for a second and launched forward, closing her fingers around the bracelet on his left wrist, but the doubt passed and he threw a punch. It connected with her jaw, but she didn't release the bracelet, and both skidded away.
She was the first to recover, throwing the broken bracelet away and running to her father, who was slowly getting up shaking his head, and elbowed him in the back as hard as she could. When he dropped to the floor again, she took his right arm and twisted it. Loki grunted.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she shouted as she pulled apart the remaining bracelet.
She flung the pieces away and rolled off, crouching next to him. "Father?" she asked warily.
He sat up, still grunting, and sighed. "Yes." He narrowed his eyes. "And you'll be grounded until Ragnarok."
"I'm sorry. It was necessary." She dropped into his arms and hugged him.
"I know," he returned the hug awkwardly, "but it can wait," he whispered. He pulled away and touched two fingers to her jaw, healing her.
"How are your wrists? And your back."
"Well, Hela, you can't physically hurt me as of now. And we'll speak extensively about that."
"That was completely unexpected, I swear." Hela dropped the barrier.
"Somehow, I'm not entirely believing you," he whispered.
"Are you two fine?" Thor asked. They nodded. "Then thank Yggdrasil. Now, what you did was stupid and reckless and dangerous. Don't, just don't do it ever again."
"Please, uncle," Hela scoffed. "Everybody's fine and we all smell like roses."
"As much as it hurts me, I have to agree with Thor. What in the Nine Realms possessed you to do something like that?" Loki raised his voice.
"It worked!" Hela yelled.
"What if it didn't?! My mind was being controlled! What if I hurt you?!"
"You had the help of five warriors, but you just decided to go in alone! Didn't you stop to think one minute?!" Thor also yelled.
"I could have killed you!"
"Do you know what it's like watching, without being able to help?! What if something happened?!"
"Awkward," Darcy murmured. She turned to Jane and started talking about the first thing that came to her mind. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif joined them. It turned out weather and specific clouds in the current sky were really interesting.
"Jeez, don't you want to bring Mother so she can yell at me too?! And we can also call some long dead relatives so we can have a family bonding time! Shout at Hela, it's a nice family activity!"
"Do not tempt me! And you will be damn lucky if she just yells at you!"
"I knew it would work and it did! Have a little faith in me!" Hela turned around and stomped away.
"Hela, come back here!" Thor bellowed. "We are not done!"
"Yes, we are! I won't stay there to be yelled at while I have a Realm to save!"
Thor turned to Loki. "How do you manage the urge to strangle her?"
Loki's fingers were buried deeply into his hair. "Willpower."
Thor dragged his hand across his face. "What will you do now, Loki?" His only answer was a raised eyebrow. "Will you cross the Gates or will you help us?"
"I will help her," Loki said and stomped away, but stopped and turned around. "And Thor? Never again shout at my daughter." He resumed walking.
Thor pressed his temples, took a deep breath and beckoned his friends.
o.o
Hela, still keeping her distance, walked them into a hidden cave with many doors lining the walls. She opened one, and on the other side a vast expanse of ice was waiting. They stepped on it.
She frowned. "Can you feel it?"
"Yes," Volstagg said, "but what is it?"
"Seems to be... some sort of cloaking spell...?"
"Yes, it is," Loki said, and she glared at him.
Her hands waved in the air, green light surrounding them, and she paced back and forth. Loki sighed and joined her.
She closed her fists in the air. "I am perfectly capable on my own, Father," she said, and pulled with all her strength. There should have been something. Maybe a pop, or a loud ripping noise, or even a wavering or ripple in the land around them, but there was nothing.
Instead, one moment there was nothing in front of them, and the next they could see them. Hundreds, thousands of people, of souls huddled together, sitting tight to each other, their eyes focused on the floor, chained ankle to ankle, wrist to wrist and neck to neck, without the most minimal room to move. Their eyes were sunken and their skin was yellowish, and they all seemed to be hollow.
Hela turned around and puked while the rest looked on, disbelieving their eyes.
"Wha... what is this?" Fandral stammered.
"Hela, free them," Thor said, but he noticed his niece trembling on her knees. "Hela? Hela, answer me!" He knelt next to her.
She was shaking slightly, her eyes wide.
"Hela, look at me." Loki tilted her chin upward. "Look at me."
"... Father?"
"Can you free them?"
"Yes. Yes!" She slowly collected herself and stood up. "But he'll... there will be backlash. We can't let him know we're here."
"I'll put up a containment." Loki stood up and waved his hand. Hela nodded, untying the scarf on her waist and dropping it on the floor. This time she did not relish in the power rush, because there was too much work to do. Instead, she walked forward, steps unfaltering as she transformed. This time, though, she looked less like an old woman and more like somebody too close to death.
She took a length of chain from around the ankles of the man nearer to her, a Light Elf, and pulled open a single link. There was a clang and wind hollered around the captives. She repeated the process with his wrist chain, and the noise and wind magnified.
"You may want to drop to the floor," she told her companions, and pulled a link from the neck chain.
The noise became deafening, like a bomb going off right in front of them; the wind blew out and then in, as if the place imploded, and a white flash of light surrounded them. As one, the captives straightened their heads.
"You're free now!" Hela screamed. "Quick, go to the Gates! Cross them, now!"
The souls disappeared in a flash, except for the Light Elf standing next to her.
"Thank you," he said.
"Don't. Now go." The Elf disappeared too, and Hela turned around to grab her scarf, returning back to normal. "How did it hold?" She asked Loki.
He was sweating and breathing heavily. He shook his head. "It cracked."
"Then let's flee." She took his hand and extended hers to Hogun. "Speed is better than stealthiness right now. Hold hands and don't let go."
o.o
"That guy... he... what kind of monster is he? Holding people like..." Jane growled, completely outraged. They were now relatively safe half a world away from Northern Niflheim, in a place of rolling grassy hills, peppered with some trees.
"Not people, souls. It's even worse."
"All of them were dead?" Darcy asked.
"Yes. When your body is imprisoned, your spirit can still wander. But imprisoned souls...you all saw it." Hela paced back and forth. "As ruler of Helheim, there is one thing, one single thing you have to do: keep the Afterlife Gates open, let every and anyone cross them, and help those who can't find them. And he..."Hela dug her fingers into a tree, leaving deep marks on the bark. There were tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I failed."
Loki approached her and placed his fingertips on her shoulder. "You didn't," he said calmly.
"I did." Hela sniffed.
"Trust me, you didn't. Because if you did, you would now be a prisoner in the deepest, dankest dungeon, or even worse, completely under his control, nothing but a puppet. But you are here, putting a stop on his madness. You did not fail, Hela."
She sniffed again. "Thank you."
"It's nothing but the truth."
Hela sighed and pressed the heel of her hand on her eye. "What am I going to do now?"
"Well, it's your Realm," Sif said. "If there is anyone who knows how to stop Livamjo, that's you."
Hela nodded and conjured a map, still rubbing her eyes. "Well, we are here, and the palace's there. A three-day walk, so it's out of the question. But over here there's a root that leads near the palace, at the other side of this lake. Considering that the longer we spend in any given place, the highest the chance Livamjo will find us, it's our best chance."
"Night is almost upon us," Thor said, "we'll have some rest until first light tomorrow. Volstagg, Hogun and Sif will go hunting while we make a shelter."
"Those purplish red lizards are big enough, and safe to eat." Hela pointed toward a herd in the distance.
"That, they look," Volstagg said. "We'll be back shortly." The three warriors started toward their prey.
"Can you build the shelter?" Thor asked the sorcerers, who nodded. "Then I'll gather wood for the fire." He started to walk away and waved for Fandral, Jane and Darcy to join him.
"I'll burrow," Hela told her father and clapped her hands.
He raised an eyebrow. "Will you also set up a craftshop?"
"Now, that's hurtful, my own father implying I don't already own a craftshop."
"You are too much like your mother, let me tell you." He watched as Hela stomped and pulled, chunks of dirt flying off and creating a cave. "What is your plan?"
"Get in the palace, pluck his eyes out and slit his throat. Very much a straightforward plan. Could you disperse that dirt, please?"
Loki waved his hands and tore apart the debris. "That's not what I was talking about."
"I might have... whispered some things here and there, set some things in motion." She chucked some more dirt.
"Good. Though I do not appreciate a sword to my gut."
"If he killed you, I'd be terribly disappointed in you, Father. Besides, you already look almost as good as new."
"Your wit is not helping your case, girl. You may soon be a queen, but you're still my daughter."
"Considering you and Mother, it's a wonder I don't go around sneering at dragons."
Loki scoffed, then looked serious. "When did you realize about... Odin?"
"He asked for forgiveness, and nothing was about to turn around and bite him. Why would he do that?"
He snorted. "True. And I'm proud of you."
"For that?"
"For everything."
"It's a bad time to get sentimental. But thank you." She put her hands on her hips. "Done. We'll have a lovely roof over our heads for the night."
o.o
All of them ate and rested for the night, and restarted their journey before the sun was up. Heavy clouds covered partially the sky, and mist hung thickly on the ground.
Jane's step faltered for the umpteenth time, her eyes fixed on the sky.
Thor chuckled. "Mind your step, Doctor Foster."
"I know," she looked embarrassed, "but look how clearly you can see that nebula. Is it the Veil? I'd love to have a telescope."
"When we succeed," Hela said, "you're welcome to study the stars any time you want. Though, I should warn you it's mostly cloudy here."
"Really?" Jane beamed. "I'd love to. If I'm not a bother, of course."
"I could use the company. I mean, the Geste are good people, but kind of boring."
"Geste?" Darcy asked. "What's a Geste?"
"A Gest. Geste is the plural. They're Helheim's folk, waist-tall, quite silent, vicious fighters and terribly loyal."
"To you?" Hogun added.
"Some. Most are loyal to the Realm, so when they learn about Livamjo's actions they'll side with me. The rest... it will be to death."
"That is... pretty extreme."
"Death doesn't mean the same when you can see the Afterworld Gates every day." Hela shrugged.
"It's mind-blowing, you know?" Darcy said. "Concrete proof of life after death, right in your face. What's on the other side?"
"I don't know for sure. Also, we're almost at the lake."
"What you mean you don't know?" Jane asked.
"That part is not disclosed to me. Some things are meant to be secrets, and I have too much contact with the living world. As far as I can tell, on the other side is what you expect."
"Like angels playing harps, sitting on clouds and stuff?"
"Maybe. But it's also about what you, in particular, think is waiting for you."
"So if somebody thinks Hell is waiting for them, they go there?"
"Yes and no. There is something judging on the other side, but your opinion is considered."
"Wow, that's... weird."
"And what about reincarnation?"
"About that, I don't have the slightest idea."
They continued in silence until they reached the lake. The Asgardians turned right, walking along the Southern shore, but Hela called them.
"We'll waste too much time that way. We'll go across."
"Do you have a boat?" Everybody looked around, trying to see if such a thing was visible.
"I have something even better."
"You are wasting perfectly good theatrics in the dullest topics, daughter. It's a shame, really."
"You do know you should be encouraging my creativity, being my father and all, right? Shame on you for your poor performance."
"That won't happen. Now, you'll think about what you've done, and come up with a better line for when we face Livamjo, tell it to me, and I'll either give or refuse my approval."
"That won't happen. I'll be as spontaneous."
"And that's how you end up wasting good lines at the silliest of times."
Hela just waved her hand and turned around, stepping into the water. She clapped her hands and began building an ice platform, intending to make some kind of boat.
"We will run your lines anyway," Loki added.
Hela knew a lost battle when she saw one, so she kept working on the ice boat, her back at her father. When it was ready, she stood motionless on the prow, clasping her hands. She finally rubbed them on her face and turned around.
"I'm done," she said, "but step in one by one. I want to see how it holds."
Slowly, they boarded, and when the iceberg remained floating, Hela pushed away from the shore with a wave of magic. Loki put up a cloaking spell around them and sat at the stern.
o.o
During the voyage, the mood was heavy. This was the first step on the last stretch of the road, and everybody was mentally preparing.
Thor approached the prow and leaned on the railing. "Do you have any safe places for Jane and Darcy?" he asked Hela.
She nodded. "Have you spoken with them already?"
"Yes. Jane was... disappointed, but they understood. When we get back to Midgard, I'll speak to Natasha, to see if she could teach them Midgardian fight styles. And weaponry. At the rate this situations seem to find us, they'll be needing to defend themselves in two months' time." He chuckled halfheartedly, and then fell silent.
Near the center of the boat, Darcy leaned in to whisper into Jane's ear.
"This boat is like a Chinese knockoff of Frozen, you know?"
Jane snorted.