CHAPTER 25

Welcome back, Lovelies! Hope you are doing well! This one's a bit shorter as I'm getting back into the habit of writing. Hope you have fun! ^^

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except my own. The characters belong to MARVEL.

CHAPTER 25 Catching up

"With the resources at our disposal, we were able to prepare enough shooters for all of us, plus a few to spare." Hank gestured to the neat display behind him. "They are designed with easy and quick repairs in mind, since we're not sure what exactly we might face once we're out of here."

Bucky's eyes followed the fifteen or so weapons neatly hung upon the wall towards the protective ward just above. He tore his eyes away just as quickly.

"Additionally, we have developed and by now filled enough containers with magic energy to last us," Shuri's eyes flickered from the pile of glowing red containers to Wanda, "long enough to get us to safety should we ever be cut off. We'll distribute them evenly with the shooters."

"A precaution also in case our casters should tire out."

Wanda absently rubbed her arm, giving a weak smile. Her eyes seemed to drift to the same spot Bucky had stared at before. As if she can feel Hel's and now Loki's magic rubbing against her skin.

"We have tried to scout out the edges behind the castle grounds," Starlord took over, "There's nothing there, endless desert and at some point we just started approaching the palace again."

"Yeah, like we circled the entire world and ended back up where we started," Peter added, looking desolate, "Not even Mr. Pym's technology, Ms. Hope's quick tiny suit or Doctor Strange's magic could find another way out."

"Except the obvious one," Strange tugged lightly at his beard, "And that is not an option for very obvious reasons."

A shudder passed through the room at the memory of Garm, salivating a sizzling thing on the stones under his limping paws, staring them down with burning eyes as they tried to scout out the entrance to Helheim. No matter what they had tried to distract the hellhound, it hadn't worked. Not even Mantis with her empathy had been able to reach him. Drax had almost tried to clock the beast when its jaws had grazed Mantis' hands.

And that's also when we found out that Garm's saliva is not only acidic but also filled with sickness. Strange was holed up with Mantis, Drax and Janet for days. But, thanks to the doctor, we now know exactly which sicknesses is in Garm's body. And Mantis' alien physiology apparently was well enough equipped to battle most except the fever, cold, stomach cramps, mild hallucinations and dehydration from vomiting…

Bucky blinked, noticed his eyes had strayed back to the protective ward and forced his focus back on the meeting. I need this update. After spending half of the time holed up with Hel, I need to know more about our current situation. As much as Loki and I have taken over the responsibilities of Helheim and added our energy to Hel's healing, we need to get out of here. And rather sooner than later.

"Loki could guide us through the cracks between worlds, but," T'Challa let the end of his sentence trail off. "And Hel is definitely able to, but she is still out of it."

Fury nodded sagely at this. "We have our new weapons and back-ups. We know, who we need to get out of this. But we have no idea what we're facing, once we're out of here. And we need a way to establish that communication and recon."

As if by prior arrangement, Maria Hill leaned forward in her chair. "Given this world, we find ourselves in ever since the Norse Gods first set foot on New Mexico, SHIELD has done a fair bit of research. What might help us get information about whatever is happening on Earth right now, is contacting a Valkyrie."

"There's not many left," Bucky said quietly, "Hel mentioned it once. Odin put them in an eternal fight with Hela to keep her at bay."

"Some must be left," T'Challa mused, "Without them we would probably see more ghosts forced to stay behind. Even given the different afterlives. Right?"

"Probably," Shuri pursed her lips, shadows passing through her face too quickly to follow, "But how can we be sure?"

"We could ask Loki."

"As if that guy would tell us anything. God of Lies an' all."

"He's seemed distracted lately," Wanda chimed in, bows furrowed. "Very single-minded focus." Her jaw worked, lips pressed tight. Were her eyes brighter than usual? As if working to keep her own control from slipping.

"The mortal is growing into her powers, I can feel it," Loki's words echoed in Bucky's mind. For the first time it seemed true. She is the only one that filled up the back-up stashes. They didn't ask Loki or Strange for that. And Wanda doesn't look paler than usual. Hopefully, Loki's training does pay off and Wanda is learning what she needs and not just what he thinks useful.

Bucky's eyes trailed up to the wall behind the display of at least fifteen magic blasters. Lightly, he could just make out the protective ward carved there. I wonder, if I could feed a little into it to help Helheim or if that connection only works directly to Hel…

The warmth sprung forward more easily than the first time now. Carefully, Bucky siphoned a thin string of power into his fingers. From there he tried to stretch out his senses towards the ever more present hum of magic, seidr, whatever, he noticed around the castle. The protective ward hummed like a bush full of bees and bumble bees in summer. I hope this doesn't tamper with anything around here? Maybe I should ask Loki first before I attempt anything like this…

Something snagged on his senses. Through the ward, waves of Hel's seidr crashed against him like a wave. Colliding in his own well of energy and filling up whatever seemed to have been depleted without his knowledge. And something else. Something tugged. Tugged his attention downwards in the palace, towards winding corridors he had last seen in what felt like another life.

"Bucky?"

Bucky startled. Suppressed the immediate impulse to tackle whoever was lightly tapping his shoulder. Slowly, Wanda swam into focus. Where did she come from? Wasn't she sitting across the room?

"The meeting's over," she filled in as if reading his thoughts. "You looked lost in something." Her eyes flitted across his face, then lightning-fast to the ward on the wall. "Can you feel whatever is placed on there?"

"A protective ward," Bucky heard himself answer.

Wanda's attention didn't waver. Her eyes glued to his face, taking in whatever his face was doing. A new power seemed to push against his skin. Burning. Clouded in red and darkness. Insistent and curious unlike anything else Bucky had caught glimpses of.

A leash tugged taught in his gut. Rooted deep in the palace. Blinking, Bucky's attention snapped back to it. This feels familiar. He looked up at the ward. Hel. What are you playing at here? What are you trying to tell me?

"Come with me."

"Loki is expecting me for training soon," Wanda reminded him. Yet, her eyes kept darting to the ward, around them as if her senses were suddenly doubly alert after she caught a hint of Hel's magic surrounding them. Bucky watched her decision, as something red flared in her eyes. He hadn't seen it often before but it had never been a good sign.

"Wanda."

Her head snapped back to him. Eyes wide, lips open. Something in her gaze was not really here, her mind and powers clawing into different directions. Wanda's fingers twitched into claws, half-raised towards him. Her lips pulled back from her teeth. Feral. Bucky didn't flinch.

"Would you like to accompany me to wherever I must go or would you like to switch with Sam?"

A choice.

A pause.

A nod.

And with that, Wanda raised her chin, let her hands fall loosely to her side. "I will go with you." Their eyes met. "Lead the way."

The leash of Hel's seidr, Bucky could now feel, lead them deeper and deeper into the palace. Wanda was a steady shadow at his side. No words passed between them. Their steps started to echo from the stone walls around them. Not a soul left to keep them company. Not even the stragglers still sometimes lingering around the palace beside the blank-faced guards.

Finally, the leash pulled them towards a set of heavy wooden doors barred with heavy iron. The wood looked freshly polished although it must have stood in place for centuries, if not millennia. This is very powerful magic. Ancient. I wonder, if Hel did this herself or if someone else -

"This was Asgardian craftsmanship, imbued with the powers of Odin," Wanda said. "Not only millennia old but much older. To keep something in. And others out from helping it. Her."

"I- You-" Bucky blinked at Wanda. The young woman was standing at his elbow, eyes gently lit. For a moment, something like a jagged crown spanned her brow but then Bucky blinked and it was gone. Is that a new power? Did Loki teach her that?

"There is a way through the wards, I think."

Bucky followed her gaze back to the door. There was nothing new for him to see. Just wood. "There's always a backdoor with the Aesir. Whatever we have seen of Loki and Hel over the years should have told us that. The question is how we can find it." We only have to find it. And hopefully quick before Loki has to rest from his transfer. His shift is already longer than usual…

Slowly, Bucky stepped closer to the portal. No intricate carvings to indicate what spells might be woven into it. No markings of whatever used to be hidden behind the doors. Just unblemished, shining wood. Which in and of itself is not comforting at all in what they are trying to accomplish.

Hel's seidr wanted me to come here. So this has to be important somehow. There should be something here. Maybe we can remove the iron somehow? O, that would be too easy.

"Do you know how Hel can travel between realms when she's not taking the direct route?"

Bucky hummed. "I think, she mentioned something of 'slipping along the roots of Yggrdasil'. Otherwise, she can also teleport, are you able to do that yet?"

Wanda shook her head, eyes still fixed on the wood in front of them. "But she has enough trust in your abilities to lead you here. For whatever reason."

He hummed again.

"So you must have the knowledge needed to get through this. Why else do this?"

And that was the question, wasn't it? Loki had woken his sensitivity and use for basic seidr. He had picked up Hel's signature in the ward and her residual energy radiating throughout the palace had led him and Wanda here. His friend wouldn't do that without a plan or at least an idea of how this should go. Or maybe with an urge to fulfil. Something primal she just reached out for in her recovery… Bucky mulled it over in his head. She spent a lot of energy in the fight against her aunt's soldiers to protect her realm, us. A memory sprang forth from his mind. Hel, bright and unhinged. Just after him and Sam had come into her throne room. Her surprise at his recognition, the new scars, how she lashed out at both him and Loki.

"Hel," Bucky said softly towards the door, "Let us in."

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, something reached out from behind the portal. Bucky felt the ground falling away under his feet. His stomach swooped like an airplane start. His surroundings blurred before his eyes, the portal speeding towards him. With a shout, Bucky yanked his arms up to protect his face – nothing hit him.

Squinting his eyes open, Bucky tried to spy where he had landed. Next to him, Wanda rose from a crouch, her red magic slowly melting away from her spread hands. The chamber around them seemed bigger than should be possible. A wasteland covered in ragged stones, dust and mountainous shards stretched as far as he could see. The grey lighting made it seem even more desolate.

"Where are we?" Wanda's head swivelled from side to side, eyes wide.

"I don't know." Bucky kept scanning the landscape for some kind of sign. "There was a fight long ago. It looks magical and explosive and -," he paused, trying to find words to what his senses, old and new, were rapidly categorizing. "More than Hel. The same? But different."

A soft sound had both of them whirling around.

A few steps behind them, towards the door they supposedly came from.

And there, translucent like one of her ghosts, bowed at the waist in almost proper courtly fashion, was Hel.