~ oOo ~

The Goddess of Death


Chapter Five: Directional Pull

Loki

He escorted his mother down through the crowd gathered in the great ceremonial hall and towards the throne where his father sat in full ceremonial armour and Gungnir held before him, he nodded as he led his mother to where she needed to stand. Then took his place at the front of the hall looking down at Asgard's citizens with Sif and the Warrior Three taking a more active place amongst the others as Thor's closest friends, standing closer to the throne. With another blast of the horn the crowd fell silent and they all turned for Thor's entrance. The Einherjar Honour Guard moved into formation to typically reveal the heir to the throne.

Loki let out a sigh as Thor did not make an appearance. He felt his father's eyes on the back of his helm and turned to see Odin looking at him in question. Shrugging he saw that father was not pleased, turning back to the front he looked towards the Warrior's three if they had any idea what was holding Thor up.

"Where is he?" Volstagg leaned over and whispered.

"He said he'd be along." Loki sighed and then saw Sif's eyes suddenly light up in understanding before shaking her head in disapproval.

"What?" Volstagg also noticed Sif's realisation.

"He wants to make an entrance." Sif answered. Closing his eyes in frustration, Loki realised she was right. Typical Thor. Because of course his foolish brother couldn't act with the dignity of royalty for such an important occasion.

"Well, if he doesn't show up soon, he shouldn't bother. Odin looks like he's ready to feed him to his ravens." Fandral smirked.

"I wouldn't worry." Loki drawled. "Father will forgive him. He always does." He rolled his eyes. Before Sif could reply as she clearly wanted to, a roar came from the back of the hall, distracting the group. Striding cockily into view Thor held his hand up behind his back and caught Mjolnir causing the crowd to erupt in joy. Cheers rang out as Thor continued by spinning his hammer, flourishing it about and holding it up for all the crowd to gaze upon. His brother basked in the moment, glowing at the adoration of their people and whipping the audience into a further frenzy.

"Oh, please." Sif huffed, though a smile tugged at his lips. Clearly, she enjoyed Thor's attitude. Attitude he knew his father did not approve of, but Thor's friends seemed to encourage. His eyes flickered over to his father to see, his father's one blue eye narrow on Thor's figure, clearly not liking the showy display. It reassured him to his own plans, knowing Thor was not mature enough for the throne yet, perhaps this display would further cerement that fact in his father's eyes. Thor just needed more time, he needed responsibilities that would make him into a King Asgard needed. The responsibility of Kingship should not be thrust upon him at the present moment, father just needed to observe right at this moment that Thor didn't yet have what it took.

The crowd continued their cheers as Thor stirred up the crowd before finally reaching the front of the room and kneeling before them. Out of the corner of his eye he saw mother casting Thor an admonishing glace and Thor merely winking in response. As she did whenever the two of them were cheeky or mischievous mother couldn't help but smile. Suddenly father striked Gungnir upon the ground deafening the crowd with the boom that rang out. Silence befall the hall.

"Gungnir." Father spoke in a quiet, effortless authority demanding the respect of their people. All listened without fail. "Its aim is true, it's power strong." Father held Gungnir in the air for all to see. "With it I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms since the time of the Great Beginning. And though the day has come for a new King to wield his own weapon." Father looked down at Thor and he saw the uncertainty in the turn of father's mouth. "That duty remains the same. Thor Odinson, my heir, my first-born." Some older members of the crowd shifted, mother straightened her spine and stared dead ahead. He turned and frowned at his father, surely father knew Thor wasn't ready. Why did the ceremony still continue, then? "So long entrusted with this mighty hammer, Mjolnir. Forged in the heart of a dying star, from the sacred metal of Uru. Only one may lift it. Only one is worthy. Who wields this hammer commands the lightning and the storm. Its power has no equal, as a weapon, to destroy." Odin paused and frowned down at Thor's excited expression. "Or as a tool, to build." Father paused there attempting to read his brother, to see if Thor understood his words. "It is a fit companion for a King." The crowd shivered with excitement and he turned his head to see his mother worrying her hands. Something was wrong, more than just his own plans. Something plagued at the minds of his parents, but what was it? "Today I entrust you with the greatest honour in all the Nine Realms. The sacred throne of Asgard. I have sacrificed much to achieve peace. So, too, must a new generation sacrifice to maintain that peace." Father stared down hard at Thor who blinked and looked up at father with a slight frown at the emphasised words. "Responsibility, duty, honour. These are not merely virtues to which we must aspire. They are essential to every soldier and to every King." His eyes caught how the crowd shuffled and shivered as a chilled air swept through the hall. "Thor Odinson, do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?"

"I swear." Thor spoke up.

Odin breathed out. "Do you swear to preserve the peace?"

"I swear." Thor grinned, blue eyes sparkling as the two of them ignored the agitated crowd. His own green-blue eyes swept the hall realising his plan was coming into fruition. His finger tapped against his thigh discretely as he felt a flash of worry about any guards that might get hurt by his plan. But surely, they would come out on top, they were gods, they knew the art of war since birth.

"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and pledge yourself only to the good of all the Realms?" Father paused and his expression fell flat as Thor seemed to ignore the words and basked in his own enthusiasm.

"I swear."

"Then on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you-"

Father suddenly paused as the air grew colder, Loki's eyes noticed how ice appeared on the large banners around the hall, creeping upwards. This was more public than he'd thought his plan would go, frowning at how the ice appeared to crackle and their breaths became visible in the air. Before he could move Sif and the Warriors three reached for their own weapons and followed Thor who raced out from the hall. He exchanged a look with mother who looked up at his father in worry before following the group. His legs quickly caught up with the group as they sped through the castle and into the depths of the palace following the trail of ice. His ears caught the sound of battle echoing through the hallways until they reached the Weapons Vault which rang eerily silent.

Thor reached the doors before all of them and swung to a stop in shock. Even though he'd planned this, Loki stared in horror at the ice covering the Vault. Most of it was shattered and already beginning to melt. Asgardian guards were encased in ice and Frost Giant remains burnt on the floor, their twisted and badly burnt bodies creating a foul scene. Loki was disturbed at how violent the Frost Giants proved to be, it had clearly been a savage battle that ended badly for all.

In the shadows a glint of silver drew his eye, the fiery glow from within the helmet casting a looming ominous glow. His eyes fell on the Casket within its hands, the light within growing fainter. "The Destroyer." Sif gasped in surprise.

"I thought it was but a legend." Volstagg drew in breath sharply in awe. But his attention was drawn to his father who had finally made his entrance, sensing Odin's presence the Destroyer set the Casket back on its pedestal and moved back into its post, sliding seamlessly into the wall.

Shifting brought his interest away as he noticed Fandral looking around the Vault ill at ease with the eagerness in the others eye, he seemed much more interested in the contents rather than the Destroyer making an appearance. "I've never been inside the Vault before. It's said the Tesseract was once held here." Rolling his eyes at Thor's friend, because of course they wouldn't be allowed in the Vault, even now they shouldn't be here. But that had never stopped them before, constantly pushing over the line of propriety.

"The Tesseract?" Volstagg muttered as Thor began walking over to their father who was now looking down at the Casket and the destruction around it. "I thought that was but a legend too!" He held in the comments he wanted to make on that one, really these idiots should have paid the slightness attention to history they would know a lot more than they currently did. The fact they were even speaking showed their opinions on the appropriateness of the situation they had pushed themselves into.

"Shush!" Sif hushed, at least she had some knowledge of customs and manners when in the presence of the King of Asgard.

"The Jotuns must pay for what they've done!" Thor cried out in anger, his hand flexed around Mjolnir tightening his grip. Alarm rang through him at how fast Thor turned to violence once again. He stepped away from Thor's friends and further into the Vault towards his family.

"They have paid with their lives." Father gestured to the remains of the Frost Giants. "The Destroyer did its job, and the Casket is safe." Odin sighed. "All is well."

"All is well!" Thor shouted, turning on their father. "They broke into the weapons Vault! If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics-"

"But they didn't." Father's face looked at Thor with disappointment.

Thor stepped forwards with a scowl. "I want to know why they-"

"The Casket of Ancient Winters belonged to the Jotuns." Father interrupted Thor's demand, re-explaining the Frost Giants history. "They believe it's their birth right." Loki frowned at his father's words, just because the Casket was in their possession did not mean Odin hadn't stolen it, that it didn't still belong to them. In that respect it was their right to take back what was theirs. But he knew better than to speak up and enter their argument, knowing that Thor's actions would somehow be found to be laid blame on him. It was something of a regularity since Thor's friends had encroached on the palace, drawing comparisons between the brothers and trying to wedge themselves into Thor's life. Hence why Loki valued the time he got to spend with Thor, and just Thor without his battle obsessed friends. Also, he didn't care at all about the Casket or where it was, he had so much better things to think about.

"And if you hadn't taken it from them they would have laid waste to all the Nine Realms!" Thor scowled. Loki couldn't help the eye roll this time, knowing that the relic would never have helped the Frost Giants achieve that. Didn't history already prove that point wrong?

"I have a truce with Laufey, the Jotun King." Odin explained.

"He just broke your truce!" Thor roared. "We must act!"

Father's face fell flat, before it quickly turned to Thor's friends and gave them all a hard stare. "Leave us." Standing still Loki watched as Sif and the Warriors three finally left the Vault and father turned back to Thor. Father stayed silent for a moment as Thor seethed, eyeing him Odin appeared to come to a decision. "And what action would you take?" Loki immediately understood that father was testing Thor, that this was the moment that would delay Thor's crowning.

"March into Jotunheim as you once did, teach them a lesson!" Thor grinned brightly completely missing the obvious once again. "Break their spirits so they'll never dare try to cross our borders again!"

Father sighed heavily, leaning against Gungnir with more weight than he ought to have. Loki eyed him with concern as father practically sagged with disappointment. "You're thinking only as a warrior!" Odin shook his head and turned his eye back on the scene.

"This was an act of war!" Exclaimed Thor.

"It was the act of but a few." Father gestured to the remains of three Frost Giants. "Doomed to fail."

"They got this far!" Thor yelled anger once again building up at father's continued refusal to follow his own demands.

Odin nodded in agreement. "We will find the breach in our defences. It will be found, and it will be sealed." Loki held his reaction inwards as he realised everything in the realm was now going to be closely watched. How was he going to sneak away?

"As King of Asgard, I would-"

Odin turned sharply back to Thor. "You are not King!" Father's voice rang through the Vault. "Not yet." He muttered before standing stoically showing Thor the conversation was over. He noticed that Thor had finally wised up, and saw on their father's face that he'd pushed too far. Thor backed away and left the room, pushing through the closed door with a hard slam, anger still lighting his nerves.

"Father?" He spoke up hesitantly as Odin watched Thor leave, as soon as father's blue eye turned to him he continued. "Shall I send for assistance?"

"Yes, Loki." Odin sighed wearily.

"I'll notify the families of the guards and lend them support in organising their funerals." He continued more assured, falling back onto routine and the duties of a prince of the realm.

Father raised a hand to his forehead to rub and looked back at the frozen guards' bodies. "Send for Eir, she will help with the bodies."

"Of course." He nodded and left the room to carrying out his responsibilities knowing that he would probably get the time to converse with Thor later on in the day.

~ oOo ~

Calla

"You wanted to speak with me, Kingsley?" She swept a curl behind her ear and looked at the new Minster of Magic as she walked into his office.

"Yes." Kingsley shifted some papers on his desk and looked up at her with a smile. "I'm glad my missive to Tonks got to you."

She made a noise of agreement before sweeping her eyes around the room. "So… why am I here?"

"I assume you've heard, we've been shuffling things around here since I've been appointment. And we've been waving required training in order to fill in spots." Kingsley waved a hand through the air. "Especially for the students you trained in the Defense Association." He gave her a smirk. "Well done with that by the way, we've never had so many Aurors able to cast a patronus charm before training."

"If the adults weren't going to train us to defend ourselves, I needed to make sure we could survive." She narrowed her eyes at him, she recalled how Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix always looked down on them. The hypocrites who wouldn't include her in their meetings but expected her to win the war. "It's down to their efforts and determination. I'm sure your new recruits will show any naysayers that the lack of three years of Auror training won't slow them down." She shrugged her shoulders and sat down in one of the plush purple chairs in front of his desk.

"I'm sure they will. My niece, Kellah told me all about the lessons you would give them." Brown eyes softened as they looked at her gratefully.

"Right, how is Kel?"

"Good, she's gone with my sister to see family for a bit." Kingsley sighed. "Unfortunately, I couldn't go with them." A message plane flew into the room and landed on his desk. "Right!" Kingsley clapped his hands together. "The reason why you're here today." She nodded at him politely. "I heard about what job you wanted after the war, so I'm letting you know that you won't have to go through any tests since your skills speak for themselves. So, come Monday you can bring yourself to Level Two and they'll get you started."

"Get me started…" She raised an eyebrow.

"As an Auror of course, I'm sure in a couple of years you'll be head of the department." Kingsley chuckled.

She blinked for a moment, time felt still as her head slowly tilted to the side and stared quizzed at the man in front of her. "No."

Brows frowned deeply as brown eyes stared down at her from a much taller height as his back straightened and gave her his full attention. "I was told that you wanted to be an Auror, Minerva mentioned it during one of our meetings."

She let out a dry laugh. "Back when I was more idealistic, back when I wanted to piss off Umbridge." She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Surely you can understand why I don't want to work for the Ministry?" She huffed beginning to feel tired that the people in the magical world just didn't know her, they just kept on assuming even now. "Why on earth would I want to step into a place that holds such terrible memories for me? Did you all just suddenly forget that Sirius died there?" Her teeth clenched together as realization lit Kingsley's eyes.

"What are you going to do then?" He asked after an awkward pause.

"This is the problem with you lot, it's always what will Calla do next? We must know everything that goes on in her life! How can we influence her to do what we want her to do next? After all we know best!" She narrowed her eyes on him. "I can't have a break? A breather? I have to keep helping you lot?" At this rate maybe leaving Magical Britain would be the best option.

"Right…" He trailed off awkwardly.

"If that's all I'm going to continue my well-deserved rest and help Dora with raising Teddy." She huffed and stood up from the chair. "Good day." She spun around and hurriedly walked out of his office before anything else was brought up. She heard his shout something as she shut the door but continued on down the hallway, passed a bewildered Percy Weasley who sat at the desk looking at her speed walk away to the elevators. As soon as she turned a corner that had no one looking at her apart from past Minister's portraits she hid herself under her invisibility cloak so that she could leave without a mob conveying on her.

The elevator ride was tricky, but a couple of charms kept anyone from trampling on her. She smoothly made her way through the crowd in the Atrium, side eying the black stone statue of a witch and wizard sitting on thrones that were made from muggles. The inscription 'Magic is Might' still etched on. She couldn't believe that statue was still there, if Hermione had seen it still standing she would no doubt had blasted it to ruins.

Stopping in her tracks, she turned her body back to the statue and cocked her head. Slowly a mischievous grin inched its way onto her face. Eyes darting around she slowly made her way closer, her fingers itching towards her pockets. Quickly throwing a couple of Bombtastic bombs into the air, that created some nice explosions that made everyone within the Atrium stop and looking around. Followed by one Thor's Thunder Cracker, the rocket whizzed into the air creating thunder and lightning. And then lastly for effect two Diabolic Dare Devils, which cast bright colourful fireworks around the room, causing chaos to erupt around her.

Grinning she lastly brought her staff up and silently cast Bombarda Maxima to full strength. White yellow light vibrated through the air in a straight line, unnoticed by the masses due to Weasley Wizard Wheezes Explosive Enterprises line of products. It violently exploded the statue, causing black stone to explode outwards and demolish the ugly statue. She didn't think Fred and George would mind the free advertising of their products, nor her destruction of that racist statue. And Hermione would surely be bursting with glee.

Bursting with amusement she weaved around the chaotic and confused crowd and made her way over to the Floo Network fireplaces to head back home. After all, if Kingsley figured out she was behind it she could just as well turn it back on him to ask him why they hadn't taken down that Death Eater approved statue. She was just doing the wizarding world a service by removing it.

"Pottermore!" Green fire danced within her vision for a moment before she stumbled out of the fireplace and into the small side room set aside for the Floo Network. It was almost empty apart from some hooks to hang up any cloaks and jars of Floo powder on the mantle. She pushed open the door, crossing over the golden entry line that alerted all household members to anyone entering the house.

"I'm back!" She called out.

~ oOo ~

Author Note: Wow, look an update! Sorry this took so long; Calla's part was tricky to write but Loki's came really easily so this chapter has been half finished for like a year. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter, I had a blast writing it since I haven't been able to write for my own enjoyment for nearly a year and my last forelay into depression made it so that I didn't enjoy anything.

Thank you for all the kind words in your reviews, and hello to all the new people who have decided to follow and favourite this story!

NicoleR85: Thank you for your kind words. Sorry that you had to wait two years for the next chapter.

DarkRavie: Thank you, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter.

Dendule95: Yes, when they eventually meet Calla and Loki will definitely bond over magic.

MerliaPhoenix: I've planned out basically the entire story now so unfortunately my original idea will never see the light of day. But I hope you'll enjoy how I'll use Hela when I eventually get to her.

Mismatched Melody: I've updated! I hope you like it :)

Elfin69: You'll see what happens with that moving forwards, I don't want to give too much away ;)

darkpsychoqueen: Yes, I can't wait for Season 2 of Loki to come out, now that I'm back into writing you'll get more than one chapter a year haha

mayawene: You're welcome and thank you!

Entertainment lover: Thank you, I really want to bring Calla's friendships to the forefront of her parts in the chapters.

jrmrask16: Thank you, I hope you enjoy it as the story continues!

Reclun: And another one!

DracoKing30: Here's a new chapter, I hope you like it.

acetwolf94: I've added more, I hope you love it!

inuyasha16451: Thank you! And I've returned!

mallarieTwinkies: Thank you!

MajorJasperSolider: I've updated!

LadyLily18: Thank you for your kind words, yeah, I'm taking my mental health more seriously now. I hope you will continue to enjoy the direction this story takes.

Haseo187: I've released another chapter! Thank you!

jennyBloom: I've updated!

lilamatt44: Is this soon enough? haha

Lastly, I just wanted to let everyone know that I've made a Ko-fi page, where you can support me for £3 if you want to. Ko-fi is an easy way to help me out and its sort of like giving me a tip (or paying for a coffee, hence the name). The link is in my profile (or below) if you'd like to donate, you don't have to but I'd really appreciate it.

/emmabell