A/N: So I got the second chapter written a lot quicker than I ever would have guessed from myself! A big thank you for those of you who reviewed, followed, or gave favorites! It means a great deal to me! And another thank you to those of you that even took the time out of your day to read it!
The world behind her eyelids was dark, no light filtered its way past the soft tissue of her eyelids. Her body felt weightless, a startling comparison to the dead weight she had been throughout her fall. Though she weighed nothing, her body was in crippling pain, her nerves were ablaze with the feeling; the feeling of being burned alive and frozen simultaneously. Pain was good though, it meant she was still alive, it meant she could still recover, something she had always been good at. It was deadly silent around her, not even the breathing she felt in her chest nor the beating of her heart echoed in the emptiness. She felt disoriented, whether or not that was from the pain and blood loss or from her location she was unsure. Her waist long tendrils of dark hair tickled the nape of her neck, a slight breeze stirring them around her. Her brow narrowed in confusion, she had pulled it back before... before the invasion. It must have been loosened from its place when she fell.
A faint humming reached her ears, a steady sound, constant. It was soft, like the beating of a hummingbird's wing. Yet it was slow like the humming of Midgardian engines. It vibrated throughout her entire being, soothing her inflamed nerves. It reminded her of her mother's healing, something she hadn't felt in such a long time. A voice reached her ears, only just loud enough to hear, a broken whisper barely tugging at her consciousness. Many pairs of intangible hands brushed at her skin, caressing her; the soft feel of spirits sit her upright, lifting her limp body, making a place to sit out of their ghostly bodies.
"Morrigan, daughter of Danu. Welcome to the Fade dear child."
The voice had progressively gotten louder, only just loud enough for her to hear, even with her higher senses. It was not one voice however, but a plethora, as though many people were speaking through one mouth, as though many people had reached out for her.
"You do not fear us, unusual. Given your talents however, we had thought as much."
Grey eyes opened slowly, peering around through long lashes. She could see nothing but the black emptiness around her, there was neither light nor anyone in sight, but that didn't mean the spirits weren't there. A soft smile pulled at bloodied lips, the dark blue blood of her kind drying on her skin. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice echoing back to her, the sound strong yet elegant, pleasant to the ears. A soft laugh from the many voices answered her, the feeling of several spirits moving tugging at the energy within her.
"We are the keepers of the Fade, the guardians of the Veil that separates the living from the dead. We are the judges of second chances and the bringers of eternity."
"But what can I call you?" Morrigan asked, her body moving to stand. There was no ground, nothing solid, but the rules of this plain were different from hers. "This is not the first time I have visited the spirit realm, but it is the first time of such dire circumstances."
"We know of your past Goddess; you were born to the Tuatha De Danann, the people of the goddess Danu.
You are the Phantom Queen of Tir Na Nog; the only survivor of your people after the invasion of the Fomorians.
You are the Overseer of War and Death, Guardian of Fire, Earth, and Magicks, the Embodiment of Passion and Love. A shapeshifter, a battle master.
The Sister and Wife of Dagda, Eldest Sister and Leader of Badb and Nemain, Aunt and Stepmother to Briget, Youngest Sister to Manannan-MaClir and Nuada.
Sent with the surviving women of Tir Na Nog to Asgard for protection, merely a child under the Allfather's protection.
The men of your race died fighting while your women hid, praying their men to come back to them.
You were betrothed to Thor when they learned of the news, finding it beneficial to unite your people, to breed and repopulate.
Yet in love with Loki did you fall, hiding yourselves away together. Barely out of your adolescent years and quickly out of maidenhood.
You were cast out, sent to Midgard after a series of events you may not have brought about.
You hid, becoming German, Russian, British, Japanese, Canadian, Australian, Turkish, Cuban; any nationality that was beneficial to you. You lived many human lives before committing yourself to S.H.I.E.L.D.
There is so much more to you than there is to us, yet you have one true name while we have many. Call us what you wish."
The woman stood silently, flinching slightly during parts of their speech. Her grey eyes lowered to what would have been the ground under her feet if there was any. "The spirits know much, as they see all. You say you are the bringers of Eternity and Judges of Second Chances. Seeing as I am not dead yet, you are here to judge me? Yet if you already know what shape my life has taken why are we still here?"
"You are perceptive in mind. We see everything you do, yes. But we are unable to truly know why, unless you tell us. That is why we have brought you here today, to hear your side of the story, told and spilled from your own mouth."
Slowly the darkness around her began to fade, a lone figure appearing from the foggy light that had appeared. Its gender was ambiguous, simply clothed in an all covering cloak of white. Slowly a world began to form around them, golden pillars and columns in the place of fog and darkness. A throne appeared beside the goddess, the throne of Asgard. She watched as the finished form came into view, a slight pang in her chest. Asgard had not been this perfect when she had died, fallen. She was no longer sure what of her state of being was now.
"There is much of your tale to be told Morrigan, where would you like to start?"
The figure in white approached her, climbing up the stairs that lead to the throne, gliding across the stones like a boat of the ocean. Dark eyes slid closed, a deep breath filling her lungs. "The beginning would be a fitting place to start." She said, slumping into the golden throne behind her. "It would be too difficult to begin otherwise."
"A wise choice, for when you're at the end of your tale it is the beginning that you hope for most."