Hello readers, this is my first Thor fanfiction. This chapter is narrated from Sigyn's point of view, and the next few chapters will be from her point of view. This story will be a blend of Norse mythology, Marvel universe and comics, and my own imagination. This is the first half of chapter one, and I am in the process of writing the second half. Please review to tell me what you think. This chapter does not contain Thor 2 spoilers, but the next one may.
Silence. The only sound that passed through Sigyn's ears was the glorious sound of silence resonating through the nearly vacant forest as she led her horse, Shadow Fire, down a ribbon of pathway snaking deeper into the undergrowth. The gentle thud of footfall and hoof-beat filled some of the silence, as familiar to her as a comforting melody. Dark elves had little fears, but one of them was the disquieting fear of quiet. Though Sigyn was half dark elf, she preferred to bask in the peace only silence could bring her as opposed to the noisy bustle of courtlife that she avoided whenever she could. But Sigyn was not only a dark elf. She was a light elf, a strange hybrid of the antagonistic races. Besides, her Alfheim heritage taught her to appreciate nature. And the dark forest, cloaked in mystical mystery, piqued her Alfheim connection to nature. She loved the ancient silence of the woods, and she knew that if she was patient, she would hear stories. For this forest was sacred. Somehow connected to Yggdrasil, and she believed this forest to be the key to understanding her powers.
The elves whispered tales about the forest that it was home to monsters like the fire giants, shades, and most frightening, the unknown. Sigyn dismissed such tales as children's lore meant to frighten bold children from exploring the unknown. Sigyn smiled in dark mirth at the thought that she and her horse were the only creatures in the Nine Realms gallant or foolish enough to venture through the most dangerous forest in Svartalfheim that not even dark elves dared to test their fortune. I into the bowels of the forest, the light seemed to dissolve into writhing shadows. Though the darkness pressed on her like a cloak, her keen vision could distinguish the gnarled skeletons of the trees. The silhouettes seemed to creep from the verdure, edging towards her. For a moment, she wondered if old wives' tales regarding the dark forest could be true. Were the silhouettes more than strange shadows? Could they be wayward spirits trapped in a limbo? Shadow Fire released a nervous whinny, and tossed his mane, even though they had trod the unused forest numerous times. Sigyn sensed a primordial power residing in the forest, and its presence seemed stronger tonight, silently beckoning her. Shadow Fire, as astute as ever, sensed it too. And from the anxious tossing of his mane, Sigyn guessed he believed the unbidden power to be malicious. Malevolent or not, it was the answer to understanding the powers, and to stop others from continued misuse. The thought of her abuser-what the elves called their acting king-sent shivers down her spine.
The tensions between Alfheim and Svartalfheim were tensing and learning to suppress the cosmic flow of power in Sigyn could be the only way to avert war between not only the two realms but also, the other seven. The Norns seemed to task Sigyn as not the Victory Bringer, but simply Peace Keeper. She mused, as her heart shriveled at that observation, that she did not know which role was harder to fulfill or more cursed.
This only ignited the uncertain embers within her, galvanizing her to act, and propelling her forward. Unconsciously, Sigyn's grip on Shadow Fire's reins tightened as she strolled into the void. Shadow Fire let out an indignant snort of protest and grinded to a halt, forcing Sigyn to stop as well. Startled, the leather reigns slipped from between her fingers. She whirled to face her horse, long tendrils of white hair whipping her. Impatiently she tugged her tresses, pushing them back behind her ears.
"Shadow Fire," she scolded lightly , "we have to do this. There is no reason to be such an Ergi."
Shadow Fire hissed, baring his teeth, at the insult, making Sigyn's taut lips stretch into a small smile. Fear forgotten, the stallion craned his massive neck until his muzzle almost touched Sigyn's nose. He only did this when he was excited to see her, or when he was angry with her. From the tense muscles rippling in his neck, she had not solicited a reaction of joy. She tried to step back before Shadow Fire could express his displeasure. But he was more efficient than Sigyn, and snorted. She grimaced as the hot gust of air hit her face, sending unruly locks of hair dancing from behind her ears into the line of her peripheral vision. She exhaled a sigh of irritation and blew on her hair, sending it to caress her jawline.
"I suppose I deserved that," she conceded. This seemed to placate Shadow Fire enough for him to allow her to lay a hand on his mane. Deftly, her fingers smoothed his disheveled mane, reveling in the silky feel of his hair, save for the occasional not that her fingers would comb. As her hand ghosted over Shadow Fire's neck, the muscles gradually relaxed, but Sigyn's fingers dampened from the thin sheen of sweat covering his coat. She gently patted his shivering flanks in reassurance before withdrawing her hand.
"Have heart," she murmured, the familiar words her own mother used to whisper to making her tongue sting. "We're almost there."
Seizing the reins, more firmly than before, she shepherded Shadow Fire down the pathway. Beneath her fit, the earth felt soft and smooth, like it had not been traveled upon. This should not have surpised Sigyn, but she uneasily pondered why a pathway was created if it was not used. She hoped the Norns were not ushering her to her demise. As the trail meandered with the uneven terrain, curling elegantly to the right, Sigyn faltered. She felt Shadow Fire's curious eyes boring into hers, and he nuzzled her arm in concern but she was also certain hope that they would turn back towards her cottage. Towards safety. Towards reason. Towards sanity.
Sparing a glance over her shoulder, she tossed him an apologetic smile that caused her lips to wobble. She schooled her expression into a steely passive mask, allowing herself to embrace her dark elf side. She imagined herself staring at the crones who sat at the base of Yggdrasil weaving her fate into a tight network of fibers that no one but the Norns themselves could hope to disentangle. But perhaps there was one loose thread in the fabric of her life that could come unraveled, allowing her to take her own pathway and alter the outcomes of the future into something more desirable than what they envisioned. Her chin lifted in a display of insubordination that she dared to hope the Norns saw.
The jagged terrain rolling past her evened. The cluster of trees that had loomed above her thinned, scattering the shadows across the forest floor. A soft bubbling filled her ears, and she knew she was nearing the distant river. The river that flowed in the very heart of the forest, branching off into separate streams snaking through the land like veins, carrying the lifeblood of magic through tout the woods, preserving its timelessness. The mystic water was believed to be sacred to those brave enough to seek answers. Sigyn had been skeptical of the alleged magical properties of the waters, but as she approached the banks, the air shimmered with a static energy. The veil of energy reacted with her own magic, and the static air crackled in her lungs.
She turned to study Shadow Fire, who eyed the silver waters warily. "It is time for us to part," she whispered softly. He turned his head to her, his eyes melting dolefully. Sigyn's heart crumpled when he nuzzled her arm desperately like a lost puppy. One hand reached up to stroke his mane. Before she could steel herself, Sigyn chose to embrace the Alfheim side of her nature, opting to display affection in order to relieve the dark moment. She buried her nose in his mane, allowing her arms to slip around his neck in a tight squeeze.
"You silly creature," she muttered fondly. "Do you really believe I will not return? I will be gone for but a short period of time. Wait for me here."
She pushed her emotional side-her Alfheim side- and steeled herself. Without looking back, to see if Shadow Fire obeyed, Sigyn approached the waters. She knew that only those with an earnest heart could enter the river safely. Though her intentions were pure, one thing hindered Sigyn. Her appearance. She stared blankly at her distorted reflection on the water. The pale, ashen face of a dark elf scowled back. She knew she would have to dismantle the glamor concealing her true appearance, the disgust and shame of her family, an Alfheim face.
BTW the word Ergi was an old Norse insult, meaning cowardly or unmanly. It was basically a challenge to provoke a fight. Sorry if this is a little vague. Sigyn's powers will be explained in the next chapter and more of her past will be unraveled. Want to find out what Sigyn's powers are and what happens when she enters the mystic waters, then please stay tuned.