Memories
Defeating Demons
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Jubilee half-grinned. She'd come back absolutely terrified only to find Tora leaning on the wall, one eyebrow raised.
"Good date?"
"Er…"
"Better hurry. The camera loops will only last about five minutes longer."
"Thanks."
She'd turned to hurry back to her room but Tora had grabbed her shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"Don't break his heart. And please don't lead him astray. He has Deadpool to do that for him."
Jubilee was going to cross her heart but on second thoughts decided against it. She smiled at Tora instead.
"I'll be the model of virtue."
"Good. You better run."
Jubilee did so and felt a little rush of satisfaction. At least one of Curt's parents approved.
"Tora was fine with it, wasn't she?"
"Yes, it was Logan who didn't know what to do. Whether to threaten Curt that hurting Jubilee would result in extreme pain or tell Jubilee to be nice to Curt."
"In the end?"
"He decided it was for the best."
She stood in pure defiance, facing Scott and the others.
"Curt, see if you can find the Ghost Riders and the Son of Satan. Tell the Riders that it's for Justice's Shadow. Tell Daimon it's repayment for saving him when facing the Chaos King, which of course none of you remember because you were all out of it. Emma, I want you to go into Logan's mind. See if you can fix him up. Take Jubilee and Kitty. Scott, plan something to in case this all fails."
"What are you going to be doing Tora?"
She smirked, picked up the matched katanas and span them round, sticking them into the shoulder holsters so they crossed her back.
"I'm going to Hell to get my husband back."
"Ah, so simple."
"Yes, it was rather…"
"Are you sure about this?"
"Of course."
"And why are you taking your kids?"
"I want them close."
"So you want us to protect your body while you're away doing…whatever it is you're doing?"
"Basically. Please banish me Illyana."
Magik started the banishment incantation and Tora held both Jamie and Eva close. She didn't want to take them, but Dragon had mentioned, ever so casually, that she should. And then Tora was torn from her body.
"Hello. What are you doing here?"
"Etana?"
The woman was sitting cross-legged on the floor, dressed simply and in white.
"Oh, are these your kids? They look so sweet. Come to Auntie Tana!"
Jamie quite happily hurried over and hugged her. Eva looked wary. Tora gently pushed her over and then Etana was pulling faces to make Eva giggle.
"Are you the Malach Hamavet?"
Etana shook her head.
"No, she's out there. Doing Malach Hamavety things. I'm still a part of her, in a way, but I'm sort of stuck here. I can't go to the Afterlife unless the Malach Hamavet is there and she keeps sauntering back to the real world. I'm afraid I'm stuck here until the end of time, then I can finally go back, be the Malach Hamavet and Etana at the same time, just like I used to be, and then actually help out. I mean, I go to the afterlife whenever she comes back, but when she leaves, which is far too often, I get pushed out here. I'm thinking of staying here permanently. You know, point the ways. It's boring, but someone has to do it."
"Have you seen Logan?"
"Yep. Look, I'll babysit. You go past Valhalla, turn right at Hel, if you reach the Underworld you've gone too far. It's the one with the big gates with the carving from Dante's Inferno. The ruler of that underworld is a bit of a traditionalist, as evil demons go. Oh, and I'll send a certain Chosen to help you."
"I don't want a Chosen."
"Oh, you will when you know who it is."
Tora stiffened.
"Kurt…?"
"Of course."
Etana waved a hand lazily and Kurt appeared.
"Etana? Tora!"
He threw his arms around Tora's neck, hugging her, only to recoil when she slapped him.
"Okay. What did I do this time?"
"You died."
"Well… Sorry? I did change my mind from going straight to Judgement to going to another afterlife, just to wait for you lot."
And then Tora was hugging him and crying and gasping for breath.
"They have Logan… They have Logan…"
"Hush… It'll be all right… Hush…"
"I need your help to rescue him."
"Of course. Etana, permission to leave my post to help Dragon?"
"Permission granted. Now who's a clever girl, Eva…?"
Kurt rolled his eyes and started walking along and Tora only just became aware of his armour.
"What's with the new look?"
He shrugged.
"Apparently spandex isn't considered sufficient uniform for the Chosen and Etana got to decide the uniforms and went traditional. What do you think? I'm supposedly a rather high-ranking Chosen, but this armour does not go with this fur!"
Tora tried –and failed miserably- to stop herself from giggling. To be fair, the gleaming pearly white armour did clash terribly with Kurt's indigo fur.
"I think it should be in ecru, not pure white. So, what are you doing here?"
Kurt smirked.
"Well, I'm actually the highest-ranking Chosen in the Norse Hel. I report directly to the Malach Hamavet."
"So what is it the Chosen actually do?"
"Well, we're sort of the ultimate police force. The Avengers in a way. We step in when things have got too out of hand. You know, the Chosen and the Malach Hamavet were the only in the afterlife who dared to stand up to the Chaos King. Of course, we were all consumed, but we did put up a fight, which is more than most. I heard you had a position in the new God Squad."
"Yes. I helped out. A lot. The Malach Hamavet ended up helping, although she was a little the worse for wear."
"Yes, I was the one who pushed her out into the real world. Thought she'd be more help out there."
"Thanks Kurt. She was a lifesaver, that was for sure. And I had a nice chat with Galactus. He's an okay bloke, once you get over his habit for eating planets."
"Here we are. So, what are you going to do?"
"Well, I was actually just planning to go in there, yell until I get taken to whoever is in charge and then threaten them until I get my husband back, sans demons."
"In other words, you haven't a plan?"
"That's always the best plan!"
Kurt shrugged.
"Need a Chosen?"
"Do you have any weapons?"
"Etana designed the armour. What do you think?"
"How many?"
"Well, I can basically have any weapon I imagine. It's kind of cool."
"Good. Right, I have some swords."
The katanas were unsheathed and Tora stared at the gates for a second before cutting a hole right through the ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE.
"Well, that's one way of opening the doors. I remember here. Got sent to a facsimile on my twenty-first."
"Yes, I know. Ready?"
"Of course. The old trouble-makers, ready to do what we do best. Wittily humiliate any and all we fight with."
They laughed and launched forward. After all, they were complete for the first time in far too long.
"How sweet."
"Death?"
"Yes?"
"Please shut up."
Agony. Pure and bitter agony. And that was all Logan knew. And then silver light burned through the door and Tora marched through, eyes flashing dangerously, a katana in each hand.
"I want to see who's in charge right now! Understand! And if I don't meet whoever is in charge of this dump in twenty seconds, then I will get mad!"
"And you won't like her when she's mad."
Logan's mouth dropped open. Kurt was standing behind Tora, dressed in white armour that then shifted, creating a rapier in his right hand. Tora was now standing hands on hips, counting down.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five-"
"Why are you here Dragon?"
"I want my husband back, thank you very much. And in one piece, mark that. And no demons in his head. And I would quite like to find out who is responsible for this so I can go and smash their heads through a brick wall or two. And then I may come back and hurt you. I take attacks on my mate very, very seriously indeed."
Kurt piped up behind her.
"She does."
"What is a Chosen doing here?"
"Well, my boss gave me some time off and I thought I'd help out an old friend. Hello Logan."
Logan opened his mouth but it was too dry. Kurt bamfed over and held up a cup.
"Careful. This is Etana's preferred drink. It's a bit…strong…"
That was an understatement. It burnt Logan's throat and he choked.
"What…is…that…stuff?"
"I'm not sure. Etana just insists we all carry a flask. Says it improves strength. Too strong for my liking, but it's like a huge energy rush."
And Satan was laughing but Tora didn't seem impressed.
"Right. I'm fed up."
Her hands started to glow with energy and Logan gulped as Kurt cut him down. And then Tora exploded. Not literally of course. But the power seemed to be more than she'd ever used before and the waves doused the fires summoned to protect and then the Soulcutter was brought out and they bowed, Tora raised both swords and they duelled. Back and forth, the blades clashing and no quarter given. She slashed the Devil's face with the white blade and he screamed as it obviously burnt him. Badly. The Soulcutter was brought round in a wild swing and hit into her stomach. She fell and he screamed, terrified. No! Not Tora!
And then she rose, body changing into a gleaming silvery-blue dragon that writhed and snarled, leaning towards the demon as her body stretched and elongated and then she tilted her head back as the demon collapsed to his knees, holding one arm out in a plea for mercy.
"Please…"
Die.
And her jaws opened and silvery mist shot out of her mouth, snarling and roaring as her eyes were coloured like the storm-swept sea, waves crashing around.
"NOO!"
And she slid and swirled, her body turning to water and returning to her small, graceful human form. She kicked the bones that were shiny from the water that had eroded away the being who they belonged to and she turned around.
"Right. You are coming home mister."
And he grabbed her arms and pulled her in for a hug. Kurt smirked.
"I have to go. I assume you can find your own way back?"
"No! Kurt!"
But he'd already gone and Logan felt so hopeless as the veil of despair slid back over her eyes.
"Was that the only time she was at peace when Kurt was dead?"
"Basically, yes. She was even more mad at him for leaving when she thought she could resurrect him."
"But she still brought him back?"
"Yes, then promptly died, leaving him in a coma."
"Oh yeah."