Revamped!

[Thank you all for the birthday wishes and yes, the last chapter was purposely confusing because if you think about it, everyone is confused about everything. That was the effect I was going for: make us confused alongside with them.

After the publication of this chapter, I am taking a break, and not like my usual month break because I don't know how long I will be gone this time. More on this will be mentioned at the end].


Chapter 99: Vitality

SHIELD Prisons - 1:30 AM

Ex-Agent Mike Tapper sits in his prison cell, counting the minutes down as to how long he's been here since he has nothing better to do. A SHIELD prison guard doing her usual rounds on duty stops in front of his cell. She eyes him until he looks up at her, suddenly losing count. He thinks that she'll disregard him like the rest and go back to her rounds, but she doesn't move.

"Why are you staring at me?" Mike finally asks.

"I'm just wondering which fist to punch you with," the guard responds.

To Mike's surprise, the guard opens his cell door and lets herself in. He stands up and sees that she isn't arming herself in any way for defence which makes him suspicious. She has some plan in mind. He quickly thinks of an escape plan and how to take this guard down, but then recognizes her stance and semi-obvious disguise.

"Ivory Gates…" He mutters with a small laugh. "Where the hell have you been hiding this whole time?"

Ivory snickers as she ditches her disguise. She takes a breath as she fixes her dark hair and straightens her uniform.

"The one place SHIELD would never think to look," Ivory responds, "their own institution."

Ever since Ivory escaped prison after Project: New Generation's first mission, SHIELD has been looking for her with no luck. She decided to disguise herself as a SHIELD agent since nobody would've expected it. Then, ever since then Agent Tapper got caught for betrayal, every agent was assigned to go under extreme polygraphic testing. That was when Ivory realized that she had to exit now.

"Oh," Ivory says, "you thought I was breaking you out as well?"

Mike rolls his eyes. "I didn't think you cared."

"I don't. You know, I considered busting you out but after I remembered that you lost to Project: New Generation when I gave you the ways to their demise, I thought you'd do better in here."

"Then, why the hell did you come here? To gloat?"

Ivory claps her hands once. "Exactly! You know, while I was here, I did some more research on the team and realized that they're as young as me but with a lot more power. And then, look who appeared on my doorstep."

Ivory opens her phone and shows Mike a picture of Sigyn lying unconscious somewhere. Mike's face scrunches up a little in confusion.

"Who's that?" Mike questions.

Ivory puts her phone away. "You'd know if you were a better agent and got a higher clearance. That, you stupid man, is Sigyn Lokisdottir. She's beautiful and she glows. Who would've thought that the daughter of Loki would play a vital part in all of Project: New Generation…?"

-o-

Location Unknown - 4:06 AM

Sigyn awakens by a slap on the face. For a few seconds, she's afraid that she's in Hel but then remembers that she left Hel and is now somewhere else. Once her vision focuses, she sees a mere mortal standing in front of her. That's when Sigyn feels something in her mind snap just as her limbs remain sore.

"Who the hell are you and what did you do?" Sigyn grumbles, not in the mood to deal with whatever this is.

"Ivory Gates," she introduces, "and I didn't do anything."

"Again, who?"

Ivory rolls her eyes. "I've met your friends before, most of them at least. We didn't exactly view life the same way."

"This is Midgard, right? Earth?" Sigyn asks. Ivory nods. "How did I get here?"

"You showed up without knocking."

Sigyn nods, seeing herself doing that. She curses to herself about her stupid portals. Sigyn tries to move her arms but feels them tied behind her back. She tries to break through the restraints but struggles for some odd reason. She could usually snap through them like a twig.

"Princess Iqadi came up with contingency plans to take you out," Ivory explains. "It said something along the lines about how you can't perform magic when your hands are bound or occupied. I expected something more but it looks like it works."

"Great," she grunts sarcastically.

Sigyn rolls her eyes and tries to break through them anyways. She refuses to be told she can't because some mortal reading Iqadi's words said so. However, she has to accept defeat and not understand how. Ivory stands nearby, watching.

"Those cuffs are vibranium," Ivory explains. "Not even Thor's hammer can break it."

"I don't need his saving," Sigyn tells her, figuring out how to stand without her arms to help her. "He currently hates me and I'm avoiding him at the moment." She tries to break free again but fails again. "You really think a plan will end me or Project: New Generation?"

"With more time, they would have worked…" Ivory reasons. "They were just in the hands of a moron."

Sigyn scoffs. "Typical. Look, Ivory, plans won't end my dear friends, but I can…"

Ivory tilts her head a little. "You're willing to abandon your friends and use your magic against them? I don't even have to persuade you?"

"I'm young and inexperienced but also free and reckless."

Ivory is intrigued. "Now, the fun begins…"

"For me, at least." Sigyn walks closer to Ivory. "Look, I have to prepare for something and I need your help."

Ivory is taken aback. She's the one who trapped Sigyn and yet, Sigyn is the one who thinks she can order her around. That wasn't how this should be going, especially since Sigyn is still restrained.

"What makes you think that I'd help you?" Ivory asks, slightly scared now.

Sigyn cackles a little. "Sweetheart, you have no idea who you're dealing with."

Before Ivory could blink, she hears the cuffs around Sigyn's wrists fall to the floor. Sigyn brings her hands forwards, rubbing her wrists tenderly as the magic around her phasing hands dims down. She rolls back her shoulders and stretches out her arms as Ivory backs away. Sigyn steps closer to Ivory as she takes two steps back, now trembling.

"What help could you possibly need?" Ivory asks Sigyn.

"Give my dear friends a warning about what will come," Sigyn says.

"For what?"

"Hold still and I will tell you…"

Sigyn's hands light up and she grabs Ivory's head. Ivory's knees buckle as she screams. Sigyn's magic tells Ivory all that she needs to say, showing her image after image of what happened and what will happen. It all goes by in Ivory's mind in a blur and she's unable to keep up, which is honestly how Sigyn's felt this whole time and exactly how she needs to message to be sent.

She lets go of Ivory and drops her to the floor. Ivory skitters as Sigyn wipes her hands on her dress and turns her back to her.

"Go now," Sigyn orders.

Ivory runs out in a flash. Sigyn laughs to herself, feeling odd about this evil sensation in her veins. She never thought it would take this long for her parents' genes to be inherited. It felt different and good in the worst way possible, almost like a sick thrill in admitting she has so much power. And the fact that she's currently on Midgard despite Apollo's ban ignites her blood and bones even more. He'll be so, so angry with her now which she thrives on. Hel was a depressant - she should've come to Midgard sooner.

"Promise, Sigyn. Promise me you'll use your power for good and survive."

Hela's words ring in her mind. Sigyn brushes them away, as if those words were vital, especially coming from her of all people - or goddesses, in that case. Hela was being a hypocrite at that moment which wasn't like her at all. No, she can't listen to those words. She just can't. Hela was no help when she needed her so why would she listen to her now?

Sigyn has to do this. She has to break another promise. Besides, this all started with the broken promise with Apollo so it might as well end the same way.


[Okay, so, about the break. I have many reasons for doing so: 1) The next arcs are so heavy and dense that I'm actually reconstructing some of them 2) Your girl's going to university 3) I'm publishing at least five new stories on here that I have already written 4) I'm starting to publish on my Wattpad 5) I'm so emotionally attached to this story since these are all my babies and I just don't want to get closer to the end of the story because it's closer than I thought it was 6) Exams in May and I should've started studying in December.

I will come back to this story. I'm not abandoning it].

[2020: I'm halfway through university, undergrad, and reading that hits differently. Numbers 1, 3, 4, and 5 are still the same today].