Chapter Three

Asgard, one of the nine-worlds and home to the Gods of Norse Mythology was something I believed to be fiction; a realm for the Gods like Mount Olympus in Greece. Everything I knew about it I had learned from books. It shouldn't have come to a surprise to learn that what I knew of Asgard was close to the reality of it all. Those books weren't just fairytales and grim stories told of legends past. Most of them contained truths that were written by Odin Borson himself.

According to Norse legend in the beginning there was naught anything at all. As time went on two worlds came into existence on opposite sides of the empty void called the Ginnungagap. There was Niflheim a world of mist and clouds. It was a realm of cold and ice with nine frozen rivers and in the middle sat a "bubbling boiling spring" by the name of Hyergelmir. It was said that Hyergelmir was the source of all cold rivers that flowed and said to be the source of the eleven rivers.

On the opposite side of the void birthed Muspelheim which was with rivers of fire. It was in sense what one could call Hell. The hot air from the south reached the cold of the north and carved out of the ice the frost giant Ymir who became known as the father of all the giants.

As silly as it was legend stated that Ymir's cow, Auðumbla licked the ice and out of the ice formed the first Asgardian, Buri. Buri had a son named Borr. Borr married the giantess Bestla and the two of them had three sons who became known as the Æsir. These sons were Odin, Vili and Ve. Together the brothers killed Ymir and the giant's blood created a sea. They raised his body from the sea and created what we call Earth, Midgard. Midgard was placed in between Niflheim and Muspelheim where they used Ymir's bones to create the mountains and his hair to create the trees. They then raised Ymir's skull on four pillars to create the heavens. Inside the skull was fire from Muspelheim and that fire created the moon, the stars and the sun. When Midgard was finished, Odin and his brothers made a home for themselves above it and called their home Asgard.

Between the two realms they stretched a rainbow-like bridge and called it the Bifröst. Odin banned humans from ever entering upon the Bifröst and he and his brothers made it so no human could ever use it. So, how did Thor bring me to Asgard? The cave of Time. Yes, that is what it was called. The cave of time was a mythical cave hidden in the deep hills of Nova Scotia. If one did not know what they searched for they would never have found it.

Deep inside the cave there was a shift along the wall. Again, if you didn't know what you were looking for you would have walked right past it. It appeared as though there were water moving along the wall, like a pond moving along the currents of the wind. My fingers glided along its surface and strange enough all I could feel was a light breeze beneath my fingertips.

"Are you prepared to see what vast wonders lie beyond?" Thor asked holding onto my luggage as though I had packed nothing inside the six suitcases at all.

Holding tight onto Sully's leash I looked down at the red-golden retriever. He lifted his large head up and stared at me with his brown eyes. Even he knew there was no turning back. Afraid words would fail me I nodded, keeping my gaze fixated on Sully.

Thor walked through first, disappearing into the liquid-like wall with ease. I stood there for a couple of moments contemplating the giant leap I was about to take. The fear of failure washed over me. What if I really wasn't the right person to do this? What if I failed S.H.I.E.L.D. and ultimately myself? What if—

No, Hayden. This isn't something you can back out of. You were raised for this, meant for this. Just walk through and you'll be in Asgard. You'll see everything you read about in books, and learn things that no book could ever teach you. What more could you want?

I remained still.

Anytime now…

Still, I refused to budge.

Inhaling deeply I stared at the wall wondering if it was too late to turn back. No one told me that I absolutely had to do this. Sure it was what I was hired for but people quit their jobs all the time. I could easily head back to S.H.I.E.L.D. and apologize to Agent Coulson for the mistake that we both made and go back to my quiet life in Southern California. I could continue schooling and become a teacher like I've always wanted. Maybe meet a nice boy, marry and have a kid or two. And that kid could be the first person to walk upon Asgard land.

Sounded like a plan to me.

Until suddenly Sully lifted his head and titled it to the side. His ears perked up and I could feel my eyes widen. I knew that look. That was not a good look. That was an I-found-a-squirrel-I'm-going-to-go-chase-it look. Just as I expected Sully took off, my hand still clutched around his leash yanked along with him. He jumped through the wall, pulling me with until we both awkwardly landed on solid ground.

"Dumb dog," I muttered to myself as I pushed myself up into a standing position. Grumbling, I reached down to pick up Sully's leash when I noticed that beneath my fingers the ground rushed by like water under glass but instead of water it was…rainbow-like colors. Yet, crashing below was an ocean that dropped off of the end of cliff into a darkened void which made what I stood on a bridge.

I straightened and looked around with my mouth wide open. The Bifröst. I was standing on the Bifröst. Swallowing hard, I turned around to see that behind me was a large, round building that spun, the rainbow-like water of the Bifröst rushing towards it. Standing at its entrance was a man dressed in gold armor and a ridiculous gold helmet with large horns protruding from the top. He did not look like someone you would want to approach with casual conversation.

Grimacing I turned to where the bridge lead only to let my mouth hang wider than before. Before me stood a large city with many unusual buildings. In the center of them all towered a curved structure piled high of bent steel forming a teepee-like shape. Shining behind the odd city were two large moons—or perhaps they were planets. I reminded myself to ask Thor later—that sat high in a sky of pale pinks and dark blues that melted together. It was the most beautiful, exotic place I'd ever laid eyes on. Something pulled from a myth.

Thor waited for me at the end of the bridge, his smile wide as I took everything in. He said nothing. The sparkle in his eyes was enough. He knew I was in complete and utter awe. And, who wouldn't be? Asgard was too beautiful to describe, too architecturally advance to explain, too unreal to believe.

While we walked in silence—mostly because I couldn't form any words—we approached the odd building that sat in the middle of the city. Three large men and a woman stood as though they were waiting for us. They smiled as Thor advanced, picking up his speed. He set my things down and hugged the four of them, laughing.

"My friends. It has been far too long. You must regale me with your tales at the banquet tonight," he insisted pulling apart from them with a wide smile upon his handsome face. "And, my brother? Where might he be?" Their faces fell. "He has not left Asgard has he?"

"No," said the woman, her voice just as strong as she looked. "He stays still but he does not wish to see you upon your return. He sulks."

Thor frowned. The large, red-haired/bearded man clasped his friend firmly on the shoulder. "Do not worry of Loki and his crying. You are back and we shall feast!"

"Is that all you ever think about?" droned the blond turning his attention upon me, "especially when such a beauty lies before us." He bowed. "Forgive the rudeness of these ruffians. I am Fandral, the poised one of The Warriors Three."

"And I," gruffed the large red-haired man, "am Volstagg. The hearty one of The Warriors Three."

I smiled and nodded my head as I turned to the quiet, Asian man. He had not said one word since our approach and I thought that perhaps he would not say anything at all. Instead, he bowed very slightly and said, "Hogun."

The woman that stood next to him rolled her eyes and offered me a small smile. "I am Lady Sif. You are the Midgardian who will be staying with us awhile I presume?" Uncertain of what to even really say—though a simple yes would have sufficed—I nodded. "Welcome to Asgard. And, what may we call you?"

"Agent. Um, Agent Hayden Waltham." All five eyes—even the eyes of Sully—stared at me. I cleared my throat and quietly added, "Just call me Hayden."

"Hayden it is," said Sif with a stiff nod. She turned from me to Thor and widened her smile. "We will see you at the welcoming banquet."

The small greeting party split apart, following Sif past us to the large golden dome at the end of the Bifröst. Fandral turned one last time to Thor and I offering a slight bow and cunning smile earning a snappy command from Lady Sif. He quickened his pace and the three of them exchanged a few words with the man at the entrance of the spinning dome.

Before I could see anything else Thor grabbed my attention by picking up my baggage and smiling down at me. "Shall I take you to your accommodations?"

My first day in Asgard was not exactly what I had expected. Well, truth be told I didn't know what to expect but that certainly wasn't something that had crossed my mind. After being settled into my room—which was a large circular area with a bed shaped like an oval made of a translucent star-like material—I set about to walking around.

No one paid much heed to me and I had figured that Thor, or someone at least, had mentioned my arrival. No one was curious about the Midgardian girl which I guess didn't surprise me much. These people had been alive for hundreds upon hundreds of years. I was nothing knew to them. It was I who was the curious one.

And, in my curiosity I found myself upon a room with doors wide open and the familiar smell of the most beloved place I knew; a library. With a smile small I entered upon the large area filled to the top with books. Everywhere they laid, stacked high in piles, tossed aside on tables, lined along shelves just waiting to be picked up and read. Eagerly, I stepped inside rushing to the closest book I could get my hands on when the doors behind me closed shut.

Startled, I spun around clutching at my chest to see that no one was there. "Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing through the expansive, quiet area. When no one answered I slowly turned around to reach for the book when it slipped through my fingers and flew across the room. "Hello?" I cried out again, this time much less brave than the first time. "Is anyone there? This isn't funny."

As if it to mock me several books came crashing down around me. I screamed and covered my head with my arms, running from the falling books to the door. My fingers reached around the cold metal, pulling with all my might only for it to remain closed. Frustrated, I tried again and again. The books around me kept falling and a few of them opened up, their bindings flapping open and closed like creatures trying to bite at me.

Again, I screamed as I started to run from them only for a few more in front of me to spring to life and dance around me. They continued to circle me as I panicked and twirled around as though that would make them stop. My heart beat against my chest, and the tears began to fall before I could stop them. The moment that the first tear ran down my chin and fell to the ground every book that floated around the room dropped along with it.

An eerie silence took over as I stood in the middle of the vast mess. My heart began to slow, as did my breathing with it as I carefully looked around to see if anyone was there. Coming upon a full circle I stifled a scream at the smiling face before me.

I didn't need an introduction to know who it was standing before me. The God of Mischief, Madness and Evil. The Prince of Pranks. Call him what you will but it was none other than Loki Laufeyson leering down upon me.

He was just as the books described him. Tall—taller than Thor but only by an inch or two—and thin with well-defined muscles but nothing like what other Asgardian Men looked like. His hair was jet black and greased back so that it hung barely just above his narrow shoulders. His eyes were a dark green, that matched the folds of robes he wore and his smile was far from kind.

There were many legends I had learned about Loki and he was an interesting character. Taken as a trophy as war against the Frost Giants by Odin, Loki was adopted and raised as his own in hopes that Odin could one day unite Jǫtunheimr and Asgard. Only Loki found out the truth of his being and turned from his family. It was one of the many things that lead to the events that took place in New York. That and he was just plain insane to begin with.

He was a prankster and sought fit to do as he pleased. When he wasn't busy trying to destroy worlds or taken over them as his own he was finding joys in childish pranks and stirring up trouble for others. Often he would disguise himself into anything from a snake to an elderly woman to his most favorable form of a large wolf. There was nothing about his tales that showed he was worthy of any redemption. And, his way of welcoming me to Asgard by throwing books at me only strengthened what prenotions I had about him.

"I didn't care for that," I muttered turning away from him and walking toward the now open doors.

Loki said nothing to me, not even a petty jab or snide remark. Instead, he watched me leave the same sadistic smile upon his malicious face. I walked outside the library feeling suddenly sick. The panic had come out of no where that I was lucky my heart didn't explode.

All I wanted was to get away and go to my room. I wanted the night to be over and to just start anew. Perhaps coming to Asgard really was a mistake. It already was off to a horrible start. No one noticed I was there and those who did take interest in my arrival on Asgard decided to torture me instead. Granted, from what I had read in my books and the destruction upon New York it was quite obvious that Loki could have done far worse to me. But, still—it wasn't any way to treat a guest.

Flustered, I walked with my head down bumping into someone. Quickly I looked up to apologize to see one of The Warriors Three staring down at me. I scanned my memory of what he had said his name was. The quiet one…oh yes, Hogun.

"I am so sorry," I muttered trying my best to push the heat from rising up my face.

He looked at me for a moment and the frown he wore since my meeting with him deepened. When it didn't look like he was going to speak I apologized once more and walked around him stopping as his voice sounded. "Something troubles you milady?" I gave him a quick glance, unsure if I had actually heard what he had said. "Tears stain upon your pale complexion."

"I—" there was no use in trying to keep my face from flushing now. "I just had a run in with Loki."

"Ah," nodded Hogun and we stood in an awkward silence. I fumbled uneasily with the fabrics of my sweater wondering if I should explain what happened when he spoke again, "Loki grows reckless as of late. He is all but powerless since he wrought havoc upon Midgard." I titled my head, encouraging Hogun to go on. "Odin—rest his soul in Valhalla—had taken away most of Loki's powers save but a few tricks until he has learned to redeem himself as an Asgardian God. He does not take kindly to the test and as you can see has a long way to go if he wishes to obtain his powers once more."

"He can still travel through the realms though? Even without magic?" I asked remembering what Thor had inquired upon our arrival about Loki leaving Asgard.

"We do not require magic to leave Asgard," he said. "Many of us here are not of magical property and so we use other means of travel such as the Bifröst."

Again, I nodded making mental notes on what I needed to remember to bring back to S.H.I.E.L.D. Loki being practically powerless and the Bifröst allowing anyone to enter Midgard at their own will seemed like good places to start. I wanted to ask him more about Loki when Hogun suddenly turned on his heel and left. Frowning, I exhaled noisily and spun back around to head to my room.

Once there I searched through my bags and pulled out my recorder. I clicked on the power button, ready to record my findings when it suddenly sparked and made a strange fuzzy noise. Brows furrowed, I flipped it off and tried it again when the sparks burst into flames. A small scream leapt from my in between my lips as I dropped the recording device to the ground where it extinguished upon contact.

Catching my breath, I walked back over to my luggage and shifted through the contents again until I found my iPod. Licking my lips I started to debate if this was a theory I really wanted to test out. After a few moments of a personal war raging inside I braved it and turned on the power only for the same exact thing to happen to it as well.

I glowered, staring hard at the smoking device. It was one thing having to hand write everything that I learned in Asgard but it was another thing to have a broken iPod. This was going to be a long stay.

Sully walked up to me, sat on his haunches and placed his paw on my leg. I looked down at him, scratching his floppy ears. "I already know what you're going to say. I wanted this, so I better take the bad with the good." Sully groaned and opened his mouth wide to yawn. "Oh, not even close to what you were going to say? Well, I'm sorry to say pal but you're on a strict diet here. Can't just go eating whatever you want."

Quick to his feet Sully stood up and walked away from me disappearing around the bed. A couple of seconds later he returned with a large, half-eaten turkey leg hanging from his mouth. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Sure, the dog gets treated better in Asgard than the Midgardian does. Go figure."

A/N: Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed. Yes, don't worry there will be more Loki to come (after all can't have a Loki fanfic without Loki). I've discovered upon writing this chapter that he's going to be a difficult character for me write so I don't think I'm going to be able to shell out chapters as quickly as I have with these last three. Thankfully my friend vicvic221 (check out her Loki fanfic Fire & Rain, it's amazing) gave me a few tips and advice with writing his character that I think will help. Please rate, review, comment. :D

Ellize Avalon: Thank you (:

mydarkestway: Yeah, writing that scene I felt annoyed for her. You're quiet right, it wasn't exactly how any first meeting should go haha. Thank you.

Guest: Wouldn't you fangirl as well lol I know I would! And thanks! Glad you like it.