Tony felt a chill on the skin of his care arms, and he looked around, blinking. Thousands of dead eyes stared at him, drooping, rotting mouths trying to curl into smiles. He was sat in the middle of a pathway, lined with a soft red carpet and he felt his fingers curls against the velvety fabric. The floor beneath the carpet was cold, black marble, that angled up into a flight of 4, wide, high steps, the slither of red carpet winding up it. A throne sat at the end of the carpet, ivory in colour, made of bone and teeth and diamonds. It was elegant and smooth, the arms of the throne twisting into elegant knots and claws, the black diamonds glittering in the dim moonlight that shone through the high circular windows of the giant hall. Tony pushed himself up, his feet bare on the carpet. He was wearing just a loose pair of black jogging bottoms, for as far as he last knew, he was in bed. The halls were humming with low moans, eerie screeching and gentle screams that rang through Tony's ears as he hugged his arms around him, the sharp bite of the chill in the room pinching his skin. He began to step forward, and was faintly aware that each of those thousand dead eyes followed him. He came to the bottom of the steps and climbed them, reaching the throne. The throne was huge, at least 20 feet tall, and tucked against one of the arms, leg dangling lazily over the edge, was Hela. She wore a broken crown, that was faded gold and laced with rubies and she appeared too him now without her glamour. She was still very beautiful, even with the half corpse face and silvery hair and she grinned down at him, rolling the blue mind gem around in her fingers.
"Where are we?" Tony asked, casting a weary glance about the hall, the sound of howling travelling from a distance. Hela smiled and leant forward, speaking in slow, whispery tones.
"Helheim. The realm of the dead."
Tony wasn't all that surprised. This place was creepy as fuck. But how did he get here?
"So... this is where you live," Tony said quietly, shuffling his feet against the ground. "It's... cold."
Hela seemingly ignored him, and instead turned her attention to a black snake that had slithered through the knots of her throne and around her arm. She stroked it gently, a soft expression on her face.
"So uh... mind telling me why you've bought me here?"
Hela turned back to Tony.
"I can talk to you here."
"Un... interrupted?"
"Yes."
Tony watched Hela swing her legs around and slide off of the throne. She reached out her hand and he took it.
"There are things you must see," she sighed, in her slow, raspy tones. She lead him down through the hall and off to the left into a long corridor of ice. Hela snapped her fingers and a black, fur cloak appeared around Tony's shoulders.
"It's strangely quiet here... I mean, I though hell was supposed to be fiery and loud and full of anguish and terror," Tony said as his newly booted feet slid a little against the ice. Hela, who seemed to just be gliding along, turned an amused glance his way.
"Death is peaceful, Stark. It is an intimate, personal thing. Each person who passes to my halls see it in a different way. A child might see a giant bouncy castle, filled with jelly and ice cream. An athlete might see a playing field, an alcoholic a bath filled with wine. You choose you're death, Tony."
Tony looked around at the ice cavern and shivered.
"Am I dead? Coz I'm pretty sure this isn't what I'd choose..."
"No. You are not dead. This is how the hall really appears. How it was built."
Hela stopped when they reached a crystal door, and she gently ran her skeletal hand over the curled pattern in the centre. It swung open with a small click and they stepped inside.
The room was a giant cave, cold and icy and a small, crystal like lake sat in the middle. Tony couldn't help but think of Golem's cave from the Lord of The Rings and a small smirk pulled his features. Hela took his hand and slowly led him over to the lake.
"Look into the water," she whispered, and even her soft delicate tones echoed around the walls, her words repeating a thousand times around the empty hall. Tony stepped reluctantly up to the waters edge. For a moment, all he could see was his reflection, staring up at him with his same, confused expression. He glanced to Hela, who encouraged to him to keep watching. He glanced back and recoiled at the reflection now before him. It was a... man? A thing, huge and blue that oozed power. It had the most disgusting smile, large yellow cracked teeth barred, red eyes flashing behind his mask.
"I will crush the puny realm, I will defile it's beauty, enslave it's mortal race and rule it with death. My love, my sweet death, I will destroy all that stays in my path. The Asgardian failed, and he will pay dearly. I will shatter his puny form and ruin Midagard's humans with his bones. I will bind them with his entrails and drink the traitors blood. Sweet death will come too me, she will have no choice, for the vulgar race of Midgard will be her new kingdom. I will rule those who were made to be ruled."
The figure in the water slowly faded, until Tony was staring back at his own pale reflection.
"They call him Thanos," Hela whispered, stepping forward to stand next to Tony. Her eyes did not leave the pool. "He has an obsession with death... me. He will destroy your realm, Tony."
"But why my planet?" Tony stammered, his stomach turning as the image of Thanos burned the back of his eyes.
"Your planet would not be missed. Your race is a disgrace to the rest of the universe. You were given the most beautiful of realms, you were given the gift of intellect. Yet you have abused your powers and destroyed your planet. Your race would not have long left, if left to go the way you are," Hela said, and her tired, whispery tones were sad, even a little disappointed.
"You destroy eachother over made up religions. Over petty feuds for resources. You invented a currency that could only corrupt. You are a greedy race, and no matter where you are, where you live, what planet you are put on, it is that greed, that need for power, that will always be your downfall."
A shaky cry escaped Tony's lips. It was true. He had been the one who helped his own race destroy eachother, almost, himself.
"What can we do?"
"You could try to stop him. But in the end, if Thanos does not destroy your race, you will eventually do it yourselves." She grabbed his hand and held it close her chest, and he felt her place something in his palm.
Tony opened his mouth to answer, but the room around him began to spin. He gripped his head, feeling like it was going to cave in.
He let out a cry and sat bolt up right, sweat pouring down his back. He was in his room. In his bed. Everything was as he had left it, the sound of his clock ticked rhythmically next too him. He ran a hand through his soaking hair, and let out a long, shaky sigh. Hela slept soundlessly next to him, her fingers pressed gently to his arm. He breathed deeply, trying to catch his breath and opened his hand, staring down at the soft blue glow of the mind gem.
...
Oooooh! Let me know what you think is going on! Tis all starting to kick off now! Love hearing from you guys, sorry my updates taking longer. SuzukiLi xx
