I paced around the training room, waiting for someone, anyone to show up. I needed to fight, to work some of this tension out of my muscles. I could always use a dummy and throw stuff, but there wasn't the thrill of having it fight back. There was always the option of enchanting the dummy, but then there was no risk of injury on either side. Only a real warrior would do right now.
Eventually my frustration grew to the point I conjured a knife and threw it at the target at the other end. It landed with a definite thud in the center. The door creaked open. "Was that with magic or just you?"
"Just me," I returned, turning around to see Astrid. I shrieked in joy and ran up to her, wrapping her in a hug.
"It's been too long," she said, after I had let go and allowed her to breathe again.
"Don't I know it. Today has been absolute shit. It's good to see you though. What's it been, six months? You need to visit more often."
"Unfortunately being a Valkyrie requires my constant attention. There is always some species at war and judging to do and many details that would bore you."
"Trust me, I got my responsibilities to the Council, I get it." She gave me a small smile.
"You've come far in a short amount of time."
"The same could be said for you; you grew three feet in a matter of days."
She chuckled, but her face turned somber. "As much as I would love to catch up, I am here on official business."
My expression matched hers. "What's up?" Saying 'official business' was our code word for 'I'm here to warn you but I'm not supposed to be saying anything.'
She leaned in and whispered, "There is someone in the court, very high in authority. The older Valkyries are tense. Whispers of Ragnarok have been heard across the Nine Realms due to his presence."
"Well who is he?" I hushed, the man with the purple cloak popping into my head.
She shook her head. "I do not know. I am too low in the hierarchy to be given any vital information." She gripped my shoulders tightly. "Be wary Jodi. Anything that has the Valkyries concerned should have you concerned."
I nodded. "Alright, I'll be careful. If you find anything else out, let me know, okay?"
"Of course. I hope the next time we meet it will be under less worrying circumstances." She backed away and I could see the telltale signs she was about to go. A barely-perceptible halo of light surrounded here.
"Me too," I murmured, knowing she couldn't hear me at this point. I turned back into the training room as Astrid disappeared. I had to find out who the man was, and how he was able to convince Sif and the Warriors to vote for him. I enchanted a dummy, not feeling like I really needed to hurt somebody after talking with Astrid, and battled it out with it for a couple of minutes. I sensed someone behind me and spun on my heel mid-maneuver, pointing the knife directly at Sif's throat. The dummy fell down behind me as I broke the spell around it.
I slid the knife back into its sheath on my arm. "I thought I'd find you in here," Sif said, not looking me in the eye.
"What the hell was that?" I immediately went on the attack.
"Jodi you do not understand! That man has powerful influence. Power that I have not seen before. Did you not feel it? To vote against him was to risk death!" she ranted, the worry obvious in her eyes.
"Sif, you're the greatest warrior that I know. You wouldn't be so easily terrified. What else is wrong, what am I missing here?" I'd never seen Sif so shook up, not even when she nearly lost her leg in a battle against some Frost Giants when we were cleaning up the last pockets of rebellion.
"He…he was speaking to us. In our minds. Showing us horrible images, battles that were so gruesome the sky seemed to be tinted red. And he said if we did not allow Loki back, he would recreate one of these for us and showed how he would mutilate our bodies." My face twisted into disgust. What kind of sick psychopath would do something like that?
"He was probably bluffing, you should know that!" I tried to rationalize.
Sif shook her head, but she didn't seem so shaken now. "We, or at least I, could feel it. All the pain we would suffer. Whoever this man is he powerful beyond comprehension. You would do well to be wary of him as well," she warned.
"How were there no physical signs? You all looked perfectly fine!"
"Jodi for Odin's sake just believe me! Put aside your stubbornness and your pride and think about us, about your own safety. He does not like what you did those years ago, stopping Loki, and is watching you carefully."
"I was always supposed to stop Loki," I said, a little confused.
"You weren't supposed to live though." She grasped my arms. "Please Jodi, do not test this man's patience. As far as I know he has not come to hurt you, but you must be wary. Do not anger him."
Sif was truly terrified of this man. I wanted to keep fighting, to tell her there was nothing to be afraid of and that we'd deal with him, but this was Sif, and there were only a handful of people I trusted more than her. "I'll step lightly until he leaves then." Sif sighed in relief.
"Do not worry about Loki. One of the provisions Ollerus and I got in for his return was he was not allowed in the same room or within 300 yards of you if you were both outdoors." I smiled and hugged her.
"Thanks. Still have my back." Sif returned the hug and stepped back.
"Of course." Ollerus walked in and swept me up in a hug.
"I'm fine I'm fine," I said before he could ask. There were all the telltale signs of him about to freak out: red face, clenched fists, and a situation in which I was put in some sort of discomfort. His shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Are you absolutely sure?" I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.
"Absolutely." He grinned and I stood back down, changing back into my resting clothes. "And since I got kicked out of the Council early, I feel I've earned the right to a visit." Sif and Ollerus both smiled.
"Something you sorely need I'm sure," Sif commented. I nodded but didn't answer, instead walking out of the room and heading down to the Observatory. Ollerus was right behind me.
"Is this an alone trip or am I allowed along?" he asked, attempting to use his old puppy dog eyes.
"I kind want some alone time with Papa, if you don't mind." His face looked a little crestfallen. "Oh don't give me that look. I became immune to it a long time ago."
"I just worry about you." I patted his shoulder.
"I'll be back before you know it." I did a little salute before walking down the Bifrost. I could still pinpoint the exact location where I fell. There wasn't any imperfection, nothing to seem off about it. The only difference between that part and the rest of the bridge was the color pooled continuously there, only changing colors when I changed moods. Heimdall said something about me and it being infinitely connected or some other thing. I stopped listening after a while.
He didn't say a word, simply putting the key in and getting ready to turn it. "I hope your grandfather has sage advice for you."
"I don't need advice; I need distractions." He smiled as if it was an inside joke before turning the key and the cannonball feeling returned. I was used to it by now though, and my muscles were tensed and ready to land. I stuck the landing, being able to walk after only a second. A car was waiting for me, as it always was. Papa kept it clean in case of these extra visits outside of her normal ones. I patted the hood. "Hey baby, been a whole three days. Let's get going." I grabbed onto the top bar and lifted myself in, turning the ignition on and driving back to Santa Fe where there were no gods or whatever that hated me for living.
I swear to God this is a setting change and slight character tweak away from being an original story sometimes.