CHAPTER 12
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except my own. The characters belong to MARVEL.
CHAPTER 12 CALM
Bucky stared at the place Hel had disappeared in just moments before. Next to him, Peter did the same only with more wonder on his face. "A portal. Just like the ones Doctor Strange did in space," he mumbled.
Bucky glanced around the room. His gaze landed on Fury, still with Hill by his side. The two of them looked over the room with furrowed brows. "I suppose, this is more like Loki's magic portals than Strange's," Hill noted calmly, "Although that does not explain what 'Hela' means exactly."
All eyes shifted back to Peter and Bucky. Both exchanged a look, noticing the other slightly curling in on themselves. Great. Two people uncomfortable with attention on their person. And the kid is looking a lot like a deer caught in headlights. I guess I should do the talking.
"You do remember how Hel attacked first Wanda, then me and then Loki, right?" Bucky carded a hand through his hair. It was not one of his fondest memories of Hel. Or one he could easily forget. Although his time with her did make it hard to completely distrust her. She does work hard to help us defeat Thanos and get back to Earth.
Sam shifted his stance, crossing his arms. "Do you mean to tell me that Hel is still harbouring anger from that very first day?"
"Not anger," Peter spoke up. His eyes were glued back to the place she had disappeared at. He turned to look over his shoulder at the rest of the room. "Hel came to us with a crystal she found on another planet and suspected to have a connection to Hela. She told us that Hela is Thor's older sister, which is like super whacky. And this Hela lady tried to kill Hel, after Hel tried to kill her because Hela tried escaping from her prison. Hela took her place as Goddess of Death, destroyed Asgard and threatened Loki." He lowered his head. "Hel is sure she is still out in the galaxy and may be working with Thanos perhaps?"
Bucky sat down in the chair Hel had previously vacated. He looked back at Fury with more serenity than he felt. "Hel cast a spell to erase her existence from people's memory. When Sam and I found her, she was very surprised I could even remember her. So we can assume, not even her own father could resist her spell."
"Or we could take control of this whole country and forego the middle man to get back to Earth faster," Starlord suggested.
Hope shook her head. "I don't think that's a good option. She is a god after all. That has to account for something."
"For a lot actually," Sam cut in, "If I remember correctly, she told us on our very first day that no one can kill her except for another Goddess of Death. Which would mean that only Hela could kill Hel and vice versa." He crossed his arms over his chest, rubbing at his chin. "From what I can tell from Barnes's stories, Hel is our better option in the long run."
"Oh, she definitely is." A new voice interrupted.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Loki leaned against the far wall almost casually, albeit with the air of royalty that seemed to cling to him like a cape. Around the table, the others shifted to grab for their weapons.
"You destroyed New York," Peter said.
Loki's gaze fixed on the teenager. Intense, cold, unyielding. Bucky felt a shiver run down his spine. He might be Hel's father, but Loki is definitely not someone I would trust my life with. Not even to have my back on our training grounds.
"Careful soldier, you might pull a muscle from frowning so fiercely." Loki's eyes twinkled with mirth.
"I've had worse," Bucky replied in the same lilting tone. A soft warning. A game between two beings older than they seem and stronger than most humans. For a moment, no one in the room said a single word.
Loki tilted his head like a cat looking at its prey. A look Hel had given often enough over the years whenever something held her attention or she analysed how she might draw her advantage from the situation. "Are you sure you want to play this game, soldier?"
At least I remembered her after she cast her spell. How come you didn't? Why didn't her own father remember her?Bucky pressed his lips into a thin line.
"Yes, boy, I attacked New York," Loki said, as if nothing had happened, "However, as always, you mortals only know half of the story. See half of the picture."
"Then enlighten us." Fury gestured around the room. "Tell us what exactly we are not seeing."
Loki lowered his chin. Soft green light wound around his fingers, idly licking at them like a pet snake. A clear reminder of his power. "You are not seeing the power Thanos holds. He is a Titan." His grin was more a show of teeth. "If I remember correctly, Director, I told you before: The ant has no quarrel with the boot. Thanos is the boot. We are the ants." With a flick of his wrist, a picture in green unfolded above the table.
Startled, Bucky pulled one of his knives from the sheaths I his boots. The second he could make sense of what Loki had manifested, he made use of the blade. With a satisfying sound it embedded in the door.
"This is not good." Hope leaned forward to examine the hologram more closely. "We thought the attack on New York was the attempt of a sociopath with a god complex. But that," she pointed out several of the monsters descending from the heavens with armour branded with a unifying symbol. "Why did no one notice that?"
"Glamour," Loki said, as if it was obvious, "Many details a re lost in the heat of battle."
"So, you destroyed New York with Thanos' orders?" Hill asked.
Another grin, like the cat that got the cream. "Very good, Agent. I admit I am slightly impressed. Hel told me you were all so very good, alas, I did doubt you. Forgive me, I shall not make the same mistake twice."
"Why did you do it then?" Peter shoved forward. Ignoring any kind of security, the teenager almost barrelled into the god. Hands balled into fists, he started yelling. "Why did you destroy New York? Killed so many people. Good people. I knew some of them, classmates and their parents. Why did you do it, if it wasn't even your army to begin with! I – I lost…" As sudden as his emotions boiled over, Peter sank back into himself. Shoulders curling forward, head ducking, the teenager curled in on himself.
Bucky blinked. Something almost like empathy crept into Loki's eyes. The hologram on the table collapsed in on itself, changed to another scene. Peter didn't turn around to see it, though all of the adults observed the scene presented to them.
"It was never my plan," Loki said quietly. "After my attack on my brother he dropped me off the Bifrøst. Thanos fished me out, offered a chance to prove myself worthy or die." Loki pursed his lips. "Not a choice really. Contrary to what you believe, I am not evil incarnate."
Slowly, Loki stepped away, another mask falling over his features. His posture relaxed as he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Peter down the bridge of his nose. "I am sorry for your loss. But the past cannot be changed. The future however can be. whatever drove my daughter to put her trust in the hands of you mortals."
"What about this Hela then," T'Challa asked, "What makes her worse than Hel?"
The green magic swirled across the table, arranging itself in a new formation. It was nowhere on Earth as far as Bucky could tell. From what I gathered, and judging by the hovering ship and rushing people, this might be Asgard? Is this Hela's doing?
The scene changed. A monster of lava erupted from what had been a palace of some kind. Starlord whistled lowly at the manoeuvres a small spaceship flew to avoid being hit by the lava or other debris. A small figure rose from the water, spewing blades as long as their arm, horns curling around their head. Hela. Bucky couldn't say, why he was so sure of this, but the lithe figure could be no one else than Hel's step aunt.
"She just disappeared in the lava? That doesn't seem very impressive," Sam remarked.
T'Challa pursed his lips. "We know Hel thinks she didn't die in that maelstrom. What did she say? A Goddess of Death is almost impossible to kill, only by one of their own." He scanned the display, now still, above the table. "Hela helped in the destruction of Asgard I take it. And before that she fought Hel and injured her."
Loki crossed his arms behind his back. He stood straight as if in court, chin just high enough to not seem snobbish. One could easily imagine him in finery, striding down the hallways of long forgotten palaces. "Hela holds no mercy for anyone. Neither alive nor dead. She is not a true Goddess of Death."
With a quiet huff, Fury folded his arms across his chest. Brows furrowed, he stared at the hologram, taking in the information he'd been given. At his side, Hill seemed to be deep in thought as well. The two SHIELD agents obviously ran through their options and possible counter measures in their heads.
"I think it would be best to gather everyone and share our information. Plan our next steps," Hill eventually said. She glanced around the room, eyes lingering slightly longer on Loki. "Would you lend us your talents again?"
"How could I refuse, if you ask so nicely." Loki sketched a bow in her direction, eyes glittering with mischief. "However, I would beg to wait until I fetch Hel. She seems to have fallen in one of her tempers?"
Bucky stood from his chair. Everyone immediately turned to look at him. With measured steps, he strode up to Loki. The god met his dark gaze with a raised eyebrow. "How may I help you, soldier?"
He didn't resist when Bucky pulled him from the room. Merely waved over his shoulder at the other occupants of the room. Peter raised a hand to awkwardly wave back before the door fell shut. Bucky turned on Loki.
"Be careful. The fight with Hela and her spell has shaken her."
"I know. And I regret the part I played in it. You do not have to believe me, but I do. She deserved better than what I gave her."
Bucky nodded once. I didn't think, he'd actually apologize. Then again, I don't know Loki very well yet. Merely from whatever Hel inferred about him in passing over the years.
Loki didn't bother looking for Hel in her chambers. No, his hellspawn was too riled up to stay in her room for long. Instead, Loki descended deep into the ground under the palace. A familiar looking guard crossed his path upon entering the halls of the dungeon. "How very nice to see you again," Loki purred, "Might you tell me where Hel is at this moment?"
The guard looked at him flatly. "My lord." He didn't even pretend to sketch a bow or emanate any kind of politeness towards the royal. "Lady Hel is in the third chamber on the right. She is however occupied with an," his form flickered, "exercise."
Ah. Gone to take the edge off. Very well, I can work with that.Without another look at the former guard of Asgard, Loki strode down the hall. Let's just hope she does not feel inclined to go against me again.Behind the doors on his way, Loki heard the screaming of lost souls trapped in the torture chambers.
The third chamber's door opened into a shooting range. Torches lined three of the four walls and bathed the room in flickering golden-red light. A lone figure whirled through the room. The green glow of magic played across Hel's figure in inhuman swirls and patterns. It shot out in different directions with the smallest gestures from Hel. As Loki approached, he could see her illusion had slipped to her half-corpse form.
Loki stopped a safe distance away. Hel's fighting style had long since departed from his and Frigga's. Her movement was just as fluent, but more offensive and reliant on magic than theirs. The targets hung on the wall rattled with each new impact of daggers made from magic.
It has been a long time since we trained together and didn't try to wound each other… Although target practice might be more effective with a moving target to take her frustration out on.Loki folded his arms over his chest.
"Do you plan to say anything or are you just going to watch?" Hel asked after some time. She let her magic lift her into the air, flinging daggers of magic at the targets. Each one hit the bull's eye.
Loki grinned. "I could always help." With a wriggle of his fingers, the targets moved slightly to the side. Hel growled as she adjusted her grip on the daggers accordingly. With a thud they embedded themselves in the centre. Hel flipped herself over and landed back on the ground. Without looking, she hurled another dagger at the targets, this time moving the targets to meet her daggers instead of the daggers themselves. Loki tried but failed to rip them from her clutch.
"Oh dear," Hel cooed, "Are you out of practice?" She twisted around. Her red eyes bore into Loki's green, a smirk playing across both their faces that was slightly too much teeth. "You know," Hel continued conversationally, "you could always just accept that you are getting old. But don't worry, I'm sure you can think of something."
Loki stepped up next to her. "Who are you calling old?" A blade appeared in his hand out of thin air. Without breaking eye contact, Loki hurled it at the targets, splitting one of Hel's magic down the middle.
His daughter didn't startle in the slightest, but she didn't look away either. Her mouth pulled into a thin line. "Well then. Are you challenging me to a duel?" There was an evil glint in her eyes.
Loki tilted his head thoughtfully. This could get interesting. She is in a bad mood, but still mostly in control or she would be hurling her magic at me already. And yet.His eyes wandered back over his hellspawn. She would never allow anyone to see her caught in the middle like this. Yet here we are.
A mirthless grin stretched Hel's lips wide, showing teeth that flashed sharp for a moment. "No, don't worry, there's no need to."
In quick succession, three cracks echoed amongst the torches. The handles fell to the ground, scorched and burned as if struck by lightning. Hel's grin faded. As if snuffed out, weariness replaced the glint in her eyes. Loki laid his hand on her shoulder. "Would you come with me?"
To his surprise, Hel nodded once without a single word of complaint. Even more so, she allowed her father to guide her out of the chamber and up a few stairs towards the stables. Hel always liked the horses and other beasts she got. It should calm her down to be around them now. For the conversation we need to have.
As soon as the double door to the stables closed behind them, Hel trotted over to a bench overlooking the flesh-eating horses. "I have some of the Pegasi of the Valkyries," Hel said quietly. "Always hoped, one day they might come of use. With Thanos on the rise, it might be time to wake the beautiful beasts up."
"Hel," Loki said quietly, "I am not here to talk about horses. As much as I appreciate them."
A hush fell over them. Neither Hel nor Loki daring to say anything further. They stared at the horses in the paddock. Their fur was dark as charcoal, manes fluttering in unnatural breezes or maybe just the fire the mares exhaled. From time to time, they snapped at each other with their sharp teeth, small fights erupting among them before they quieted down once again.
"Who told you?" Hel didn't look at her father, but her form shimmered to return to her humanoid appearance.
Loki allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "No one. You are my daughter. I always know, when you are in pain."
An amused huff escaped Hel. She glanced up at her father. "Liar."
It was not easy. Neither of them had ever been fond of communicating their feelings. With a new group of mortals running around her palace, it hadn't become any easier. The convenient moments alone were becoming more and more sparse. Still, I need to try.
"Alright, you caught me. I might not have simply known, but your magic does still cause a ripple in the fabric of your world. You are linked to it." Loki leaned back against the back of the bench. "The exit you made caused quite the uproar among your souls. Even your soldier was worried for your wellbeing. They demanded to be shown the truth about Hela. And I assume, this is only the beginning. Humans are so curious."
Hel winced and tried to cover it up by pulling her legs up on the bench. She bought time by arranging herself, so her chin rested on her knees in an unusual display of discontent.
"I don't know what happened," she said, "Ever since I found the crystal, my shoulder ached. And then they started asking questions and my back hurt more and more. It might be a curse I disturbed unknowingly."
Loki looked at his daughter. She looks so small like this. Not at all like the powerful Goddess of Death I know her to be. More like the child I hid after her mother disappeared back in Asgard.He extended his arm to lightly rest on the bench behind Hel's neck. To his delight, not that he would admit it, she didn't flinch away.
"Personally, I do not think it was an enchantment."
Hel stiffened.
"There is no shame in feeling hurt. I admit, I did not notice your spell and I should have known your signature. However, I am also proud you managed to put not only the Allfather under a spell for years, but also me." Loki took a deep breath. "I hope to make amends for the pain I caused you, hellspawn."
In a flash, Hel uncurled on the bench. Her posture turned rigid, as she stared at Loki. It was almost the posture of a proper lady at court. Surprise was written all over her face before a carefully crafted mask fell over it. "Do you really think that?" Hel questioned.
Loki nodded his head slowly. "I may have forgotten you, but now I remember." Hel stayed perfectly still as they kept staring at each other.
Hel was the first to move again. Her clothes shifted into a loose tunic and dark trousers. Strands of her hair rearranged themselves into an intricate braid that fell down her back. "I suppose, the others deserve to hear the story first hand," she mumbled, "Along with what my plans beyond their mortal grasps are."
"You don't have to. Some of them already have your story." Loki turned to look back at the horses. "And you do not owe the mortals any kind of explanation."
"They are my chosen ones. I saved them from the mind stone. There is a price for everything. Besides, there are aspects of this plan not even you know. And I found, plans tend to work out better when everyone involved is aware of its machinations."
One of the horses trotted over to the fence closest to the gods. Its flaming eyes staring at them unseeingly. A snort and another horse joined the first. Slowly, the entire herd collected at the fence. It's almost as if they can sense something in the air.Loki looked at his daughter and found her staring back at the horses with the same fire sparking in her eyes. Or maybe she is drawing their energy to her.
Hel blinked, coming back to herself. "We should go." She looked at Loki and there was still a lingering red glimmer in her emerald eyes.