the coming wave

“There’s another rig coming in, Doctor. 5 minutes inbound.”

He watched solemnly as the attending rushed after the paramedic and out the ambulance bay doors. The profession was so noble, he felt the sam rush of adrenaline as entering the battlefield would’ve given him.

He looked back down at the case-file in his hand and signing his name with a flourish.

Dr. Donald Blake

He smiled lightly at the look of the signature before shaking his head and handing it to the nurse across the desk. He smiled politely, thanking her, before pushing off the nurses station, grabbing  his cane, and turning and walking to the corner hallway.

As he looked around at the sparse decorations and slightly sterile scents, he couldn't help but feel comfortable.

He walked slowly down the hallway, approaching his first floor office. He deposited his cane and sat behind his desk. The phone flashed a small red light, drawing his attention. 

He quickly dialled in his voicemail password, lifting the receiver to his ears and eagerly awaiting the message.

“Hi Don, I looked into the anomaly you mentioned and you were so right, it’s perfect data for my research! We should… discuss it more! maybe over—uh.. dinner? Let me know, bye.”

Don smiled to himself.

Dr. Donald Blake had met Dr. Jane Foster at a theoretical physics conference. He had no reason to be there other than to force a meeting with her. She, however, had been in her element. It took him hours before he got the chance to introduce himself and then had been forced to pull out his knowledge about her future research to keep her attention. 

Since then, he’d been trying his best to endear her to him, not only with bits of knowledge, but also his charming personality. It wasn't going amazing.

Which is what made her message all the more exciting.

He dialled her number in, listening patiently as it rang. 

Hey, this is Jane Foster. Leave a message!

“Hi Dr. Foster, I’m glad I could help you out. I’d love to get dinner, how does Friday work? Let me know!”

Don felt giddy as he put the receiver down, feeling warm at the prospect of getting to know Jane. He intended to do this correctly this time around, not allowing himself to make the same silly blunders due to his lack of social graces.

Although, just as quickly he felt himself deflate. He couldn’t in right conscious keep the facade up though, if he wished to properly court Jane. He thumped his head onto his desk and groaned. 

Frigga looked at the group in front of her, frowning at the sight which greeted her. 

She felt it was finally time to make a play at untethering Hela from Hel, and had decided that she needed some back-up. There was only a few people that she could trust fully with a mission this delicate.

Agatha lay lounging on the chais-lounge she brought with her. Yao sat sipping the tea she brought. Frigga sighed deeply.

“Are you both truly prepared for this?” She asked, speaking into the air, posing her question to them both.

Agatha replied swiftly, “Oh relax, you act like we’ve never been to Helheim.”

Frigga crooked an eyebrow at that, sending a questioning glance towards her. She shrugged, “Well I’ve been to Muspelheim and that’s kind of the same, no?”

Yao scoffed at that, standing up from her seat, “Are Thor or Loki joining us?”

“Loki should be. Thor is otherwise tied up with his affairs on Earth. I believe he’s quite liking his second chance at life,” she said, sounding amused. 

“What’s the plan?”

“I’ve done ample research and many a pathway has had useless turns. I scoured the depths of Vanaheim resources as well as Asgard’s libraries. It was difficult to find any proper leads. I believe that due to the precarious and novel nature of the spell work, there is no precedent either and that made it that much harder to really find any leads.”

Agatha nodded slowly as she listened to Frigga continue her explanation, face a little confused.

“But I believe there were sufficient smaller hints within the literature that might aid us on our journey. The time I’ve spent researching has given me more confidence in my ability to adjust according to the situation which we may find. The outcome is unpredictable, but I believe there is no benefit in delaying our journey.”

Yao nodded is agreement. Agatha, however, seemed to scrunch her brows deeply.

“Are you—.. Is your plan just to wing it? Seriously..?” Agatha scoffed, “You could’ve just said that.”

Frigga opened her mouth preparing to defend herself, but then closed her mouth, looking mildly embarrassed, “There are only two important junctions, accessing Hel and then leaving Hel with Hela.”

Agatha nodded, “Alright. If that’s all we’ve got, we can manage.”

The light clinking of dishes was background noise as Don tried his hardest to calm his racing heart. Across from him sat Jane, who was looking back with a sweet smile. They’d had a most lovely evening, their dinners delicious and conversation flowing. 

Don smiled back, trying to ease his nerves. This was a make or break moment, but now he was struck by how little he planned it. He felt frozen in his seat, unsure of how to proceed.

“Jane?” he began, “Before we part, I need to tell you something.”

Her eyebrows furrowed, “Oof that sounds serious. You’re not a murderer are you?”

Internally, Don cringed. He had been known to efficiently slay in battle. 

“No, no. But I think we need to find some privacy first,” he suggested, standing to his full height and offering his hand out. Jane looked at his hand questioningly. She grabbed hold of his hand, allowing him to lead her while muttering something about pick-up lines. 

By the time they got outside of the restaurant, Don was feeling particularly fidgety. He looked around, their surroundings bare enough. He shuffled Jane to the side, allowing the shadows in the alley to hide himself. This was a make or break for their relationship and therefore for Don's life—a touch dramatic perhaps, but that was truly how it felt. There was an equal chance he scared her away or perhaps paints himself as insane.

“There is a reason for my extensive knowledge on the cosmos and their secrets.. I was not born with the name ‘Don Blake’”.

Jane tilted here head, beginning to look concerned at the statement, “What do you.. mean by that?” she asked hesitantly. "So... that wasn't a pick-up line?"

Don laughed heartily, "No, Jane."

Wordlessly he thumped his cane against the ground, his body becoming enveloped in a bright light. Once the light subsided, Thor stood in the place where Don once was. "Although, I am unopposed if you'd like to join me on another evening."

Jane gasped in surprise, taking a step back, “W-What? Why are you wearing a costume… How are you wearing a costume?”

Thor stretched the arm holding Mjolnir, subtly showing off his hammer, “T’is my true form, lady Jane. I am not simply a Midgardian healer, but I am Thor Odinson, the crown prince of Asgard and the Nine Realms.”

“The… what?” Jane looked on incredulously.

The mud was black, their footsteps practically invisible as they trudged along. As they stared forward, they could hardly make out the horizon where the dark dusty mountains met the even darker sky in the distance. 

The only reprieve from the oppressive darkness was the hazy coppery clouds which hung between them, the humidity entirely palpable.

The group had appeared without fanfare, their shellwork hardly producing any light or energy. Maintaining a low-profile was essential for their extended stay in Hel, it seemed. 

Frigga took a deep breath to scent the air as her eyes slowly adjusted to her surroundings. Blood. Metallic and strong enough that she could practically taste it. She shook her head abruptly, clearing the fog that seemed to gather in her mind. 

“Maintain your focus as we approach,” she advised the rest of her group, head resolutely facing forwards. “Do not be distracted, many things might appear and call to you, but you must maintain your composure.”

She heard the consistent footsteps thumping behind her, assuring her that she hadn’t lost her group. 

Frigga’s thoughts were racing, from what she would do next, to what she would say. 

Would Hela be happy? Excited? Angry? Livid? Probably all of the above, she guessed.. or maybe hoped.

They continued to trudge along, each step feeling heavier than the last.

“This is spooky. Can you see anything?”

“Haven’t your eyes adjusted, Agatha?”

“Oh, sorry Yao, so sorry that my eyes aren’t as skilled at yours at adjusting to low li—”

“Are you both finished?” Loki snapped. “This is not the time for you both to be bickering.”

Agatha harrumphed at her tone, turning to face Frigga, “Where are we heading to?”

“The castle up ahead,” Frigga said, pointing towards the horizon. 

The castle was hard to make out, through the purple clouds and thick, heavy atmosphere. Yao squinted, hand shielding her eyes, “Which one?”

Agatha hummed, “I would guess the tallest, spikiest one, right?”

Loki laughed abruptly at that, soon joined quietly by Frigga, “I should hope so,” she responded pivoting her stride towards the left.

They kept walking.

As Loki continued to follow his mother through Helheim, he could hear the voices calling to him, all the people he’d lost during his 10 centuries on Asgard. He couldn’t help but feel relief at his status as supplanted through time, grateful that he wasn’t being confronted by either his father whom he murdered, his father who hated him, or his mother whose heart he’d broken. What he heard now seemed to simply be the vitriol of indiscriminate enemies in battles long passed. 

Loki shook his head, his family might not be here calling to him, but his thoughts were becaming morbid far too quickly.

As they finally approached the castle, they were met with a tall brass gate. They all looked to each other, trying to pick a next move. 

Frigga swept her hand in a grand gesture, “I know this one.”

The shackles keeping the gate together disintegrated instantaneously, the gate creaking loudly as she pushed them open immediately. “Let’s go,” Frigga said brusquely, striding stiffly towards the door. 

Loki followed closely behind her, feeling jittery at the prospect of this reunion. He wasn’t disillusioned to think she would be receptive. Unlike his mother, he was prepared for the worst. 

Loki continued to flex his fingers subtly as he followed, thoroughly anxious at the thought of meeting Hela in combat yet again. No amount of preparation would really help against her, he knew that much.

They finally arrived at the front door. It was exceptionally ornate, heavy brass and wood with green embossed the door trimmings of intricate flowers and skulls. It was all rather unnecessary and extra. They must be in the right place, then.

Loki waited as Frigga stood staring at the door, her fist raised as if to knock but paused before it could make a sound. She seemed nervous.

Before she made a decision on her next step, the door swung open abruptly, banging against the frame. 

“Well, you might as well come in,” they heard call through from deeper in the castle.

Frigga didn’t startle and neither did Loki, who simply raised a single eyebrow. 

Frigga motioned for Yao and Agatha to remain at their post, before striding confidently into the darkness. Loki followed silently, knives at the ready, and braced for action. 

As they navigated through the dark foyer, they found themselves in a throne room of sorts. The layout was similar to that of Asgard, but it appeared as if it’d been ravaged in battle and subsequently abandoned for several centuries. 

Dust and debris further sullied their already muddy shoes. The dust, actively being disturbed by their tread, floated up in small clouds like small explosives. How fitting for his most volatile sibling. 

As they finally approached the throne, the shadows shifted allowing them to finally gaze upon Hela. Hela who sat watching, her posture was lax—lounging even—but her body was drawn tight, expression murky at best. She looked deeply irritated, there was even an undercurrent of fury. 

As soon as the shadows shifted and revealed to her her oldest child Frigga gasped, tears immediately filling her eyes. “Hela,” she whispered, voice filled with reverence. Loki continued to maintain his vigilant guard from behind her, hardly garnering any attention to himself past a precursory glance. 

“Frigga,” Hela greeted, sounding equally amused and angry. “9 centuries later, what have I done to deserve you gracing me with your presence?”

“Hela, I’m here to remove you from these trappings,” Frigga responded firmly, she took a step towards the throne and Hela flinched minutely, stopping Frigga in her tracks.

“Have I finally served an apt punishment, your majesty?” she spat out, voice derisive and sharp.

This time, it was Frigga who flinched, causing Loki to step forward, “Enough of this,” he said, matching her contempt. 

Hela laughed condescendingly at this, “And you’ve brought your sentinel? I could snap him like a twig, and I might just,” she said, slowly rising to a threatening stance. 

Frigga watched the exchange play out, slowly shaking herself out of her funk, “Loki is right, enough of this Hela. I did not know of your entrapment, Odin lied to all the realms and claimed you perished in battle.”

Hela approached slowly, each step resembling a wolf sizing up her prey, “Oh? And you were so quick to believe that oaf. Did you rejoice with the other realms or did you mourn me, mother,” the venom in which she spat the term had tears reappearing in Frigga’s eyes. 

When close enough, Frigga grabbed Hela’s hand with both of hers, bringing it up to her face. She left a kiss of the back of her hand before responding pleadingly, “I mourned you, my daughter. I still mourn you. It was only this past year I was enlightened of Odin’s treacherous actions and have not since returned to Asgard or him. And I will not, without you, Hela.”

Hela had initially been tugging her hand back, but her struggles settled as she continued to listen to Frigga’s pleas. 

“I had no idea, I vow this sincerely on mine own life,” Frigga dropped to her knees these, holding onto her daughter and pleading, “Strike me down if I tell a lie,” she exclaimed through her tears. 

Loki flinched at the sudden change in positions, eyes widening at the sight of his mother pleading to his sister. Loki’s eyes widened even further at the sight of Hela’s resolve crumbling equally at the sight.

“You have and always will be Friggadottir, please understand I did not know of your imprisonment,” she reassured while looking into Hela’s misty eyes. 

“Móðir,” Hela whispered, voice cracking with its sincere emotion. She dropped to her knees, joining Frigga on the ground, and burying her head into her neck to stifle her own sound of despair. 

Loki started again, this time taking a step forward to defend his mother if necessary. He then took a step back again, looking a little rattled at the turn of events. 

“I do not understand what I’m witnessing.”

“Quiet, weasel,” Hela hissed up from her spot on the ground. Her seething tone severely undercut by her sniffling. 

Frigga seemed to remember Loki’s presence in the room because she began the process of untangling herself and Hela pull to her feet. 

“This is your youngest brother, Loki,” she introduced, reaching an arm towards him and pulling him towards the both of them.

She watched eagerly as the both of them frowned at each other.

And continued to frown until Hela broke the silence, “Well, I’m back now, so you’ve got to change your look.”

“Excuse me?” Loki responded, sounding incredulous.

“You heard me. Really pathetic that you couldn’t come up with your own image by the way,” she said smirking. 

Frigga smiled wider.

The small family walked out of the castle 30 short minutes later, with Frigga leading the way and her two goth children following behind. She was smiling brighter than she had in the last year. 

Yao and Agatha both startled at the sight, both rushing to welcome Hela back.

“Hela!”

“Oh, Darling you haven’t aged a day!”

Hela raised her eyebrow at them both, “Yao. Agatha. Charming as ever,” she drawled, attempting to walk swiftly by before being stopped by her mother. 

“Let us all be civil, it is a most joyous occasion. My children are meeting for the first time, I never dreamed of this happening.” Her voice was exceptionally pleased as she said this, a smile staying on her face. 

“Now.. it’s time for us to get you out of here,” Yao responded, looking concerned, head swivelling to access their surroundings. 

“I do have some ideas for this part,” Frigga added reaching for a necklace around her neck, swiftly removing it. The pendant was a medium sized gemstone, purple in colour, and knotted onto a piece of beige twine. 

She turned and placed the necklace onto Hela’s neck, “I’m sure you doo not have access to your own seidr in this realm, but this should imbue you with a significant reservoir of mine own. There are several charms placed upon this,” she patted her shoulders, “can you access it?”

Hela stood straighter, cracking her knuckles, “It’s been so long, I can hardly remember the feeling of seidr flowing through my veins.”

She began flexing her fingers and nodding, a smile slowly growing on her face.

Loki took several steps sideways, beginning to grow alarmed at the prospect of Hela equipped with seidr once more. 

Hela smirked at that, taking a step forward to taunt him, before her shoulder was pushed back by Frigga who rolled her eyes. 

“I believe this has the best chance of working if we use an Eldridge portal,” she then added, turning to Yao who had already began spinning a portal. 

The tea room of the New York Sanctum came to life through the portal, the bright colours looking entirely out of place in Helheim. 

Hel cleaned forward in interest, before jerking back suddenly, “I am not sure if this will work.” She sounded hesitant and almost scared.

Frigga reached for Hela’s hand, squeezing reassuringly, “Yes, it will,” she then pulled her forward.

After a year of agonizing over lost scrolls, Frigga Freyrdottir finally walked the living realms again with her daughter, Hela Odinsdottir. 

“It would be easier to show you, Jane,” Thor suggested, after several minutes of failing to explain the mechanism of his powers and origin. 

Jane’s scrunched eyebrows deepened, “Yes, maybe.. Can you take me to someone who can better explain this whole thing?”

Thor nodded, lifting Mjolnir to begin spinning. Slowly, a blue portal spun deeper in the alley. The brilliant light illuminated the area, but didn’t reach beyond the mouth of the alley.

Thor turned to observe Janes's reaction and grinned at the awe in her blue-tinted face. She was reacting exceedingly well, and had yet to recoil from his presence, that must indicate a positive outcome.

“I wish I could take some readings of that, oh my gosh.. what is happening?”

Thor laughed briefly, “Lady Jane, if you would join me at the New York Sanctum I can find another who is more adept in the arts of seidr,” he swept his arm towards the portal. 

Jane slowly approached the spinning blue circle cautiously. She peered through and saw what looked like a mid-century sitting room filled with antiques. It made her imagine Don sitting there, smoking a cigar, and sipping scotch, which almost made her laugh out loud. 

Slowly, she stuck an arm through the portal, sighing in relief when her arm stayed attached. She waved it lightly before pouring more of her body through it.

Thor followed behind her, amused.

As Thor found himself beside Jane again, he ignored thee sanctum in favour of observing her expression, almost laughing at the shock. The Sanctum was far from the lavish and scenic Asgard, and he would love to see her reactions to the Golden realm once again.

He turned, following her gaze, and rather than the empty tea room he expected, he found a truly peculiar sight. His expression likely began to mirror hers, feeling embarrassed at having not looked ahead.

Agatha and Yao sat drinking tea with his mother and both his siblings. 

He spluttered, “Wha-.. What? Hela? Do my eyes deceive me?”

Hela smirked, “Oh, is that my sweet Thor, my goodness you got ugly,” she said smoothly, voice derisive. The venom was undercut by the way she was squished between Agatha and Frigga, looking much like a child at her mothers hip.

Thor whimpered at that, looking severely confused and in distress. Loki bounced to his feet then, rapidly approaching Thor who was growing alarmed. 

“It’s remarkable… she’s not sane, but she’s so… tame,” he began explaining rapidly.

“Oh don’t flatter me so much, brother,” Hela drawled in the background. “You make me sound like a wild animal.”

“And the way she responds to mother.. it’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen!” Loki then turned towards Jane and snorted, “Wow, that didn’t take long..”

Thor looked over Loki’s shoulder, making eye contact with Frigga who had a raised eyebrow in expectation. He shook his head to clear his thoughts before nodding, “Um.. yes. Hello Hela, it is lovely to see you.”

He then turned to Jane, who was watching the whole thing in confusion, but was rapidly beginning to look amused, “Uh. This is Loki, my brother, he is who may be able to explain the mechanisms of seidr for you. Please feel free to ask him you questions while I chat with my mother.”

Thor didn’t wait before striding away and plopping himself down on a chair across from Frigga, “Where was my invite? Or notification?”

For the next several weeks, there were several bouts of mandatory bonding that Frigga forced on her children. They spent long periods of time chatting over tea, with Frigga leading a heavily structured discussion to promote conversation. 

The three complained loudly throughout and when they finally asked her for the purpose, she explained her plan.

This led to more ardent efforts through each bonding session, which unofficially became planning sessions. 

The day finally came for their plan to come to fruition. 

They landed all together on the wide platform, all four immediately turning to look at the warrior clan in full gold armour, who stood looking shocked speechless. 

Frigga began striding towards the bridge, ignoring him entirely. Thor looked to his siblings and found them beginning to follow their mother with smirks. Thor looked towards Heimdell and back to his family.

He followed his family.

As they walked down the bridge, Hela continued to gain more power, her posture straightening and confidence increasing. She began to smile wickedly, almost worrying Thor if it weren’t for her dutifully following after Frigga. 

When they finally reached the throne room, the three siblings were both excited and in Hela’s case, giddy. 

“Wife. What is the meaning of this?” 

Odin’s question boomed though the room, making the Einherjar flinch while his family remained resolutely in their place, eyebrows raised. They all had identical expressions of condescension, in a way that almost look practiced. It may have been.

Hela laughed openly at that, moving to reveal herself while smirking. 

Odin startled and immediately began muttering, “I thought I felt something, but I didn’t want to believe you could be so stupid Frigga!”

“You dare speak to her that way?” Thor boomed, immediately stepping forward and slanting his shoulder to shield her. Simultaneously, Loki hissed in offence, dropping into a more offensive stance. 

Hela chuckled again, stepping froward slowly while summoning a blade in each arm, “I see you’ve endeared yourself to none, One-eye. You made new heirs only for them to despise you as well.” She took another step, “Looks like all my exile did was allow you to grow plump and complacent, hmm.”

“I won’t accept anymore of this insolence from you all, least of not you Goddess of death,” Odin spat out, eye coming to focus on Frigga before shifted to Hela angrily. 

Frigga scoffed loudly, rapidly approaching the throne, causing Odin to flinch in his spot. She stomped up the steps, “Insolence? INSOLENCE?”

She reached back and slapped Odin across the face, the noise resounding throughout the room, “Am I a child, Odin Borson, for you to speak to me like this? I had hoped the year of solitude would have sweetened your attitude, but no, I see I continue to over-estimate you!”

Odin looked up at Frigga from his crumpled position, straightening so not to look like he was being cowed by the furious woman. The Einherjar were not so easily convinced, having witnessed their previous confrontation as well, but they didn’t falter in their stances. 

“I told you the only time you would see me again would be with Hela and here I am,” she began explaining, not dimming in response to his posturing. “I am here to show you that we do not need your help or input, and we will be moving freely throughout the realms without your intervention, understood?”

“You dare command me, woman?” Odin boomed, looking deeply offended. The Einherejar flinched then, not at his tone, but at the offence they felt on the All-mother's behalf. 

Frigga, rather than slap him again, chuckled loudly. She turned and stepped back down the steps to the throne. She grabbed Hela’s arm, stopping her from pouncing at Odin, before turning to face Odin once again. 

“Your word is the same as dirt, Borson, your decrees mean nothing, please don’t forget that your hold on the realms hinges entirely on Vanaheim’s support, of which I am a princess.”

Odin scoffed, but didn’t respond. He simply watched as his family stormed out of the room, together, leaving him behind in the empty golden hall, once again.

“So why haven’t you gotten the stone, then?”

“Well, it’s not that simple,” Loki explained, looking distinctly uncomfortable. 

Hela laughed mockingly, “No..? You said Morag, hmm.”

She then disappeared from the couch, re-appearing within the next 10 seconds, the only difference being the glowing purple stone floating above her palm lazily. 

“This is the grand ‘mission’ you were refusing get over with? How can a brother of mine be so useless?” she asked derisively, smirking at his forced indifference. 

“How do you expect to get anything done if you can’t get the simplest task done?”

“You don’t understand,” Loki said, sounding frustrated. “Once removed, containment is essential. The signature calls to other would-be stone bearers,” he said running a hand through his hair. "And now.. se have to actually deal with this."