XVII
Watching Jane be picked up like some sort of morbid doll and seeing the Aether manifest its red eldritch energy as it cocooned the human was something akin to watching all her fears come to life.
Malekith was about to obtain the weapon that would see the end of the cosmos and the rise of the Dark Elf.
Then she was thrown backwards and off of her feet as an explosion rocked the pavilion, having sent both Dark Elf and Asgardian alike to the ground with the dispersal of energy.
Her ears ringing and vision slowed and hazy as she began to pick herself up using her lance to prop herself up. She brought her spear to the face of her silver kite shield in annoyance, the loud clang bringing a semblance of focus back to her.
She saw a prone figure before them, garbed in the armor of the Aesir but her sight was looking wildly for the mortal. Even if Sif didn't like her, the Asgardian hoped she still lived.
Perseus was supposed to destroy Malekith.
Sif's thoughts ran haywire as she took in the situation before her. It all went wrong. No one planned for the Aether to be released from the mortal. As much as she realized it now, and hated the fact, she was for all simply written off.
No human could hope to survive with the Aether coursing through them.
The horrid and bloody conglomeration of liquid sat writhing in the air as if it were a pile of crimson serpents, coiling and twisting about the other as each tendril lopped and leveraged over the other. An ever growing cloud of dark red essence looming imposingly over the center of the pavilion.
Pillars of black smoke rose in the sky around them as Harrows and Skiff still dueled in the skies above them. But her thoughts quickly turned sour and in further dread as Malekith spoke. "You lose now, Asgardians." His malformed and half charred face smirking that reminded her all too much of the devilish smirk of Laufey of Jotunheim.
He thrust his hand upwards as if he were grabbing at the cloud of crimson before them. One of the coils struck out in response but stilled before it even reached its halfway point to join its dark master.
She heard a grunt and the clatter of a wooden and metal pole against the cobbled roads of Asgard and whipped her head towards the source.
She felt a wave of relief wash over her.
Standing there with his right arm and hand outstretched similar to the Dark Elf Lord towards the Aether, his arm flexing violently at the liquid. But her gaze was focused on his eyes. Powerful, prismatic, glowing sea green swirls of energy that seemed to leave a spectre of a wisp trailing at the corner of them.
Her mind raced at the implication processing the matter in an instant as both Malekith and Perseus dueled for dominance over the Aether.
Her voiced roared, breaking the stillness that permeated in the aftermath of the explosion and the interim as both Svartalfar and Asgardian took in the situation before them. "Protect the Greek!"
The moment the last word left her mouth, the standoff broke down into chaos.
She moved to position herself in front of the Greek but was not fast enough as two crimson jets of energy impacted against the golden but still scorch marked cuirass of the demigod causing him to stagger and grunt in pain as he fell to a knee.
But he kept his arm up, pointed as if he were grasping at the Aether, not daring to relinquish his will upon it for even a moment.
She blocked the three subsequent ones that were sent at him, digging her feet into the stone below her and bracing her shield against the heavy impacts.
A score of Asgardians fell at the initial onslaught of red bolts but they were not without vengeance as a score of Dark Elf soldiers fell to a wave of their own amber bolts of energy.
A duo of small cone like objects were thrown from the horde of Dark Elves and miniature vortexes sucked in and crushed everything in their radius, Asgardian, steel and stone alike, leaving nothing but broken craters in their wake as they dissipated into the air.
And then both sides rushed the other. Bolts of energy flying about as Asgardians and Dark Elf alike crashed into the other. She watched from the corner of her eye as Thor was encased in a sudden bolt of lightning as his armor generated about him before he rushed forward to the prone warrior who had fallen in the beginning, disregarding a bolt of energy impacting against his shoulder as he did so, but Sif guessed that in his state, he didn't care much for the attack.
The patch of armor on his shoulder disintegrating slightly at the point of impact.
She focused elsewhere. Whoever that is, was most likely dead. They certainly seemed as if they were.
It was callous of her but in her defense, there was a battle raging for a weapon that had the potential to destroy the universe.
A wall of shields moved around the Greek as Einherjar took positions of sentry around him, sending lances of gold from their spears whenever they could, one of them unfortunately falling to a bolt of red. Volstagg and Heimdall were fighting on either flank of the kneeling Greek while she took the center.
Harrows descended from the sky, landing expertly and flanking the Dark Elf Lord who was as equally as focused and struggling as the demigod behind her, though unlike Perseus he was not on a knee and wounded. They began disgorging more armed and armored Elves to join to the fight. Most likely from those teleporters that they had.
His monstrous lieutenants were quick to defend him from whatever amber bolts that were sent their way. Their hides smoking even from this distance at the amount of punishment that they had sustained, though they didn't look at all hindered from the injuries that they had received.
An Asgardian warrior that had gotten to close to their charge had been launched across the opposite end of the pavilion crashing against a golden building beside them with a sickening crunch.
Sif did not even need to look to know that the warrior was dead.
Asgardians clashed with Dark Elf infantry as the ground began to be littered with bodies of insectoid armor and golden and black plate. Though they continued to fight and kill, uncaring of their fallen comrades.
Sif lunged with her spear, roaring as she did so, piercing the Dark Elf that had dared to get close to them, twisting it and wrenching it free from the insectoid carapace, causing black ichor to spill from the wound. For good measure the gripped the lance just a little tighter and discharged a golden beam of energy into the fallen elf.
If the attack with her spear didn't kill it, then the bolt of energy certainly would.
She wasn't all that fond of the idea of a wounded Dark Elf trying to impale her foot or impede her movement if she had to leave the defensive circle.
She glanced in the direction of Malekith and was lucky she did, as the Dark Elf Lord pointed a gloved hand towards them and barked an order in their native tongue. Not even her Allspeak was able to discern the shout, much less over the cacophony of noise that was all around her.
But it was clear what the intent was. Their target was the one who was keeping the Aether out of the hands of their leader, and she was not the only one to notice it. "Sif!" Perseus grunted from behind her. "Malekith! Kill him!"
She would not leave him though. He was the only person capable of preventing Malekith from obtaining the Aether now.
In his own words, she was the best that Asgard had to offer.
If it meant keeping the Aether out of the hands of the Dark Elf, then she would ensure she died before the Greek came to even further harm.
"Thor!" She roared over the din of battle. She launched a trio of bolts into a group of freshly deployed Dark Elf warriors. From their elevated position where they had to exit their dark obsidian Harrows, their large groups made for easy pickings if she simply fired into the crowd.
The Prince of Asgard was standing protectively over the fallen warrior from before, wielding Mjolnir as a whirlwind of uru, crushing any Dark Elf that tried to get close and blocking any beam of red that was sent towards him. He looked towards her.
"Malekith!" She shouted and pointed with her spear at the Dark Elf Lord. He nodded and looked in the direction before casting his gaze back down and spoke something at the warrior who was…stirring? He started fighting his way to the Dark Elf Lord, probably not willing to risk hitting an Asgardian nor the chance that he may lose it again to one of the monstrous lieutenants.
She disregarded the thought as she continued to fight an Elf that attempted to get close to her charge.
"Loki!" The demigod grunted again and bit out through gritted teeth, gasping lightly in pain, his hand still outstretched towards the Aether. "Fandral! The ships! Destroy them!"
Sif looked to her sides and spotted the chivalrous swordsman cutting his way through a group of Dark Elves alongside other Asgardian warriors on their left, while she saw the illusory form of an Einherjar launching bolts of green energy from his hands at Dark Elves that attempted to gut him or erecting green barriers that blocked oncoming bolts of red protecting himself and other Asgardians.
She cut down another Dark Elf with her spear and blasted it into the ground with a duo of amber bolts.
Neither appeared to have heard him which was understandable since they were a decent distance away. She quickly wondered if the demigod thought he was shouting before dismissing the thought as she relayed the orders with a bark. Now was not the time to be contemplating such things. "Loki! Fandral! Destroy the Harrows!"
She hoped that Loki would at the very least attempt to choke off the neck of the Dark Elf reinforcements as she didn't think that he had the resolve to go assault such a place. To make sure, Sif shouted to her right side where Heimdall had swung Hofund with expert precision and cleaving the head off of a Dark Elf soldier. "Heimdall, go with Loki!"
The dark-skinned Asgardian didn't need to be told twice nor did he seem to think it prudent to respond as he instead leapt from the defensive circle around the Greek and barreled through dueling Asgardians and Svartalfar, cutting down the latter as he did so, Loki following the Sentry in his wake.
Hopefully, the ever-watchful gaze of Heimdall would be able to prevent any attempted escape by Loki. She didn't trust the snake and this would be the perfect opportunity to remove himself from any danger.
Fandral barked his own orders as a score of Asgardian warriors surged forward towards the Harrow on his flank, clashing into a new horde of Dark Elf infantry.
That was when the monstrous lieutenant made itself known. Crashing through a trio of Asgardians and flinging them at the defensive perimeter around the demigod behind them. The armored bodies were enough to knock down two of the Einherjar while the other had been sent even further behind.
Immediately, a torrent of amber bolts were sent towards the creature, Sif adding her own lance's capabilities to the mix.
It did nothing as the creature simply rushed and pushed through the onslaught of energy, bearing it and causing smoke to rise from its rapidly charring hide.
Sif hefted her spear and threw it at the Dark Elf monster while Einherjar moved to intercept its path towards its target.
The monster batted the spear away as if it were nothing more than a pest to be dealt with while Einherjar closed the distance with the beast.
She drew her sword, leveling the blade and interposing herself between the monster and Perseus, cutting down a rushing Dark Elf that attempted to make use of the opening to attack her charge.
Einherjar were crushed in vice grips and drained of their vitality, the monster glowing a molten red from its many wounds as it healed it. The Asgardian Einherjar being tossed away as lifeless and smoking husks. A few of them were able to land hits, their steel blades glowing a pale gold, near yellow as they sunk into the thick hide but the attacks did little more than annoy the creature.
She mentally shook herself from the scene as the beast stalked forwards undeterred from its objective.
To her.
Her mind raced as she thought of how she may be able to slay it.
She raised her shield as the monster finished closing the distance and attempted to simply kick her away with the bottom of its heel. The impact resounded as she braced herself. Her boots digging a trench backwards into the stone road at the amount of force. Her shield arm inflaming in protest as she raised her silver tricorn kite shield again and rushed forward, her blade ready.
The creature snarled at the apparent lack of death from his simple action. Though, knocked away another warrior of Asgard into the ground whilst bringing its foot down.
It is going to take more than a kick to kill me, pest. Sif raged in her mind as she closed the distance with a battle cry. The beast swung its thick and gnarled fist widely as it attempted to knock her down with a punch. She slid easily underneath the blow, tucking her legs beneath her and slashed upwards into the side of the beast while willing the second blade of her sword to eject from the bottom of the hilt.
The blade cut diagonally into the back of its leg and it roared. Whether in anger or pain, she didn't know though she hoped it was a mixture of both.
The attack did little to impede its movement as Sif slid to a stop digging her leg into the cobble and using the momentum to leverage herself up into a sprinting position as she faced back to the creature who had turned towards her. Its back towards Perseus who was now focused on the Aether with his hand still outstretched though his eyes were darting wildly about the chaotic battlefield.
Volstagg having taken up as principal guardian to the Greek as he hacked at any Dark Elf stupid enough to get close to the Asgardian that wielded the massive greataxe with the ease of a simple sword.
A bestial rage radiating from its fiery and smoldering coal eyes as it looked at Sif.
Her thoughts stilled at an idea and she narrowed her eyes at the pair of small conical prisms attached to its waist.
Good, focus on me! Sif thought as the creature rushed towards her as she readied herself once again. She willed the bottom of her blade back into the hilt as the being ran at her knocking aside a warrior as it did so and trampling whatever fallen bodies that were in its path, crushing the husks of fallen warriors into dust as he did so.
She weaved through a series of strikes making use of her lithe and petite frame to remain out the creature's more bulky and cumbersome grasp. Slashing and cutting into the torso of the being, keeping its attention on her and probing its defenses and testing the limits of the creature's flexibility.
An explosion resounded behind her as she pushed a punch further into the ground with her shield and maneuvered herself in between the demon and the demigod once again.
The Harrow on the right hand side toppled over and leaned into a golden spire of a building as its central fuselage erupted in a crimson inferno. Loki, Heimdall and a small group of black and silver armored Asgardians at its base fighting the remaining Dark Elves that were there.
Fandral and a score of those same black clad Asgardians were still cutting their way to the other Harrow.
And Thor was wrestling with the other monstrous being as the two fought in fisticuffs, and going blow for blow regardless of the unnatural strength that the being had, lightning arcing from the force of the Prince's punches and coursing through the body of the being. It didn't look like it did much.
Mjolnir was nowhere to be seen.
That was when she saw it. It was only for a brief second but she could sworn to have seen erupting and flying out of the wreckage of the Harrow the glinting of silver Valkyrie wings.
The beast drew her attention back to it as it roared at her. It was time to see if she would be able to kill this thing for good.
She rushed the creature who also bounded from his position towards her.
Sif slipped underneath the guard of the creature again and used her sword in an attempt to shear the conical devices from the waist of the monster.
The monster was not so idle however, and deftly swung its arm backwards into her softly armored back, sending her sprawling into the stone street below. She instinctually raised her shield to absorb the crash but it still sent her tumbling and rolling into the ground and the bodies that were strewn about. Sif gasped in pain as she landed against the hard floor and she felt her shield arm had sprained from the sudden impact.
She made to stand and grip her sword as her vision blurred and swirled about, thanking the stars that were dancing in her vision that she had worn her helmet. She could have very easily died from that had she not been doing so.
But a thick, grotesque and leathery foot stepped on her wrist. She winced and yelled in pain as she felt the bones cracking and breaking underneath the pressure, instinctually releasing the hold she had on the hilt of the blade and bringing all her strength to bear against the thick hide of the offending leg. Her vision blurred once more as the distorted image of the creature came into a looming view above her and applied more force and pressure to her sword hand and wrist.
A shadow of maroon plate launched itself at the creature, toppling the two head over heel into the ground a meter away. She gasped in relief as the pressure was removed from her wrist. It was good that it was only sprained and was already healing.
She blinked her vision back into focus and saw one of the conical device laying a ways away from her. Her eyes widened and she searched for the Volstagg and the creature who had grabbed the burly Asgardian by the collar of his breastplate and tossed him into a nearby shopfront, though Sif was sure he would be alright if they survived this since he had suffered much worse.
She willed her lance to her grasp as she charged alongside two other Asgardians towards the beast who had their backs turned towards them, swinging its arms upon hearing their battle cries. The move caught one Asgardian off guard as it sent him sprawling to the side but her and the other warrior were true in their attacks.
Her spear jutted into the sternum of the creature while the other Asgardian's spear entered the torso. "Lift him!" She shouted as she tasted iron in her mouth. She ignored it as she and the warrior raised the the heavy creature into the air. The demon made an attempt to grasp at them, and Sif had leaned out of the way.
The other Asgardian was not so lucky as the clawed hand clutched at the neck and an unnatural heat emanated from the gnarled hide as it sucked the vitality from the Asgardian, turning him into a husk and dropping the body like it had its strings cut.
They were successful however, and Sif would be sure to remember the warrior's sacrifice as they lifted the being just high enough that she was able to leverage the force to bring the being down with a weighty thud into the stone road. A crater erupted at the force of the impact as she continued to use all the strength available to her to keep the beast pinned into the ground as it thrashed at the spear in attempts to wrench it free.
She heard another explosion and hoped the other Harrow was now destroyed. The cacophony of battle grew louder around her as Asgardian and Svartalfar began fighting with renewed intensity.
Other Asgardians rushed forward to mimic her actions as two spears subsequently pinned the trunk like thighs into the ground. The arms however proved worse an attempt to pierce and pin as whoever attempted to do so, was swung wildly in the air and thrown away like rags. The beast continued to roar.
She willed her sword to her, wincing slightly as the hilt of the blade returned to her injured hand. Willing the single blade to morph with the second to extend it as much as possible as she thrust downwards at one of the shoulders. It worked as it pierced the limb.
Seeing the seeming end for itself, it began to resist even more throwing an Asgardian off of one of its legs. "Lady Sif!" She heard a deep shout and she barely registered the dark form of a short blade as it sailed towards her. Instinctively, she reached out and grabbed the hilt, ignoring her spear now and instead focusing on keeping the blade of her own sword in side the shoulder of the monster while stabbing downwards with all the force she could muster with her sprained shield hand and into the thick neck of the monster.
Had she been paying attention, she would have heard a serene and melodious whisper echo in her mind but in her frantic state ignored and didn't notice its presence.
The blade easily sunk into the near impenetrable hide of the creature and into the stone below it, effectively pinning the creature by its head into the ground. The monster thrashed wildly at that and let out a guttural roar of what she knew to be pain. Everything slowed for a moment as the powerful arm of the Dark Elf creature flew towards her. She released the grip on the both of the blades and prepared to receive the blow with her shield.
The strike hit her and she felt her silver shield crack underneath the strength of the blow as the right tricorn peeled off and threw her off the creature, saw her sword bend at a malformed angle as it was then snapped off. The beast attempted to remove the black blade in its neck but in its rage filled state only served break off half of the crossguard and kicking whatever Asgardian that was upon it away. It began to pull itself upwards into a kneeling position, with heavy labored breaths and Sif sent a look to where the conical grenade was.
It wrenched the spears free from its either snapping them in half or tossing them haphazardly away.
It continued to claw at its neck though, desperate to remove the blade from its home but its large claws did little to help its situation.
It was still lying peacefully on the ground.
She whipped her shield towards it, willing the golden coils to lash around the device, activating it and swung it wide at the demon. Anticipating an attack the beast grasped at the coils and tried to pull her into its clutches, she dug her heels into the stone ground however, churning it into rubble as she held onto the coils with both of her hands and with the remainder of strength, snarling in pain as she did so, her hands on the verge of breaking at the exertion.
Then the device activated.
In a swirl of fiery energy, leathery hide, stone and metal, the creature howled in defiance as it was sucked into the vortex.
Sif attempted to recall her coils but they began to be sucked into the vortex pulling her into it. She couldn't hold defy it any longer as instinct gave way to rational thought. She widened her eyes as she clawed at the silver shield that attempted drag her into the depths of the singularity.
Until she felt the sensation of water snake around her body. Her eyes snapped to the source, Perseus still locked in a defiance with the Aether, had thrust his hand out towards her with faltering whips of water that lost much of its solid structure as most of his energy was spent keeping the Dark Elf weapon out of the hands of its creator.
But it was enough as the singularity winked out of existence but not before dislocating her arm that was using the shield. She fell to the ground with an unceremonious thud, the whips and of water collapsing unceremoniously to the ground as the demigod returned his full attention back to the Aether.
Unable to fight any longer, Sif looked towards the faltering war as Malekith's forces were pushed back, their reinforcements being cut off as Harrows were being destroyed before they could even get close to their dark master. A large Dark Elf capital vessel looming over off the edge of the Falls of Valhalla being harried by golden skiffs, as explosions began emanating from its hull.
Malekith took several amber bolts to the chest as he still focused on the Aether, uncaring of the harsh wounds he was taking upon himself.
But ever so slowly, the Aether inched closer and closer to the Greek demigod.
More Asgardian warriors flooded into the pavilions and onto the battleground to join the fray.
That glint of silver wings returned, soaring over Thor, dropping Mjolnir into the expectant hand of the Prince, and flying away as crimson bolts showered the sky after the being.
The action was fluid however, as Thor caught the hammer and in one clean strike, had snapped the neck of the other monstrous lieutenant upwards at an unnatural angle before being brought down suddenly as a crack of lightning struck down and engulfed the two in the electric eldritch energy. When the blinding light died, as suddenly as it appeared, the Prince was left standing, a bloodied and sweat stained face but the monster was gone.
In its place was a flittering cloud of ash.
Thor wasted no time in throwing the Hammer of Asgard at the Dark Elf Lord who was thrust backwards at the impact and sent sprawling into the steps that he stood upon.
The Aether jerked chaotically as it rushed to the Greek Demigod.
But it did not enter his body as she had thought it would. Instead, the large amount of red matter coiled around his vambrace and torn and black clothed arm, in a manner that reminded her of a constricting ouroboros.
His eyes flashed a dangerous red hue before he clenched his eyes and jerked his head. When he opened his eyes they had returned to the prismatic green color but that trailing wisp of energy seemed to fade into an orangish red as if it were a flame.
The elements of his armor that were red shone brightly as the Aether settled as if it were a luminescent.
Probably assuming they were going to die regardless, the Dark Elves did not surrender. Instead, they continued fighting and were then subsequently cut down.
The battle was over.
And the day was won.
Sif collapsed wearily onto the ground, content to simply lay down as her aching body began to heal slowly.
Percy sighed and closed his eyes. The feeling of energy coursing within him near rejuvenating him completely, as he willed the melodic whisper that edged his mind away turning it into naught but a faint tickle that poked gently at his mind.
He stalked forward, pausing before the warriors and Einherjar of Asgard who were looking to the coil of red energy that seemed to wrap tightly around his forearm warily. "See to the wounded and dead. Any Dark Elf alive is to be executed immediately. Leave Malekith to me."
They nodded and bowed slightly as they began their duties. The errant sound of a spear being brought down on a Dark Elf pervading the otherwise still pavilion.
He turned to an Einherjar, pulling him aside, having recognized him as one of the ones that he had pulled from the security detail of the prisons. "Get those that helped Thor and escort them and confine them to separate quarters. Give them medical aid and whatever else they require, I'll deal with them later."
"Yes, Executioner." He brought his arm into a salute but before, he left he asked. "What of Loki?"
He considered his words. Loki did technically break out of prison regardless of what he had done to aid in Thor's plan and he wasn't there because Percy put him there but because Odin did. "Him too, keep him under additional watch though. Make it clear that if he tries to leave, that he will be dealt with permanently."
The Einherjar nodded and repeated the action before walking away.
He touched the bead in his ear, intent on speaking to both Bjorn and Olaf. "I need more bodies down here to help with the clean up." He paused as he willed the command communication bead to the general channels. "The war is over and won. Asgard is victorious."
A roar of cheers erupted in his ear and the feedback made him wince at the sound and caused him to claw the bead out for fear of damaging his hearing. Not that it needed to be done, even all the way out here, cheers, shouts and cries of jubilation were heard all throughout the city.
But it was not over for him. Not yet. He had one last thing to take care of. He had a people to avenge.
He continued to walk among the battlefield though to his destination.
Thor was standing over Malekith alongside a soot covered armored and helmed Asgardian woman and his battle-hardened mind was able to analyze. She was clad weirdly that started with a feathered molded cuirass at the chest that turned to a silver metal at her midriff. Percy assumed the feathers would be white if not for the soot that covered them.
She wore a set of dark colored tight scale mail down her legs with silver greaves that covered black boots. A light dark colored kama wrapped around her hips that looked to be made of leather but didn't go past her thighs.
Her arms were equally covered in the dark scale mail but ended just above the elbow. Her shoulders looked to be covered by dark leather and metal spaulders that clasped to the the top edges of the cuirass with small gold ornaments. Her helm covered the top half of her face and was that same dark silver metal with dark gold filigree running the edges. A small pair of metal flaring wings at the temples of her helmet.
But that was not what had his attention, on her back jutting from between the shoulder blades of the armor where they would meet the spine were a pair of bright pale and translucent wings that had the appearance that they were fully feathered.
He disregarded them however, with his target laying on his back, with holes smoking in the insectoid hide armor that the Dark Elves used was Malekith. Not grinning devilishly but glaring at them with all the hatred he could muster.
Percy was unfazed as he pushed abruptly past the Prince of Asgard and the woman and roughly grabbed the collar of Malekith's breastplate to bring him up and then suddenly punching him with an Aether empowered fist right into his pale face. His nose broke under the attack and his head near snapped from the amount of force.
Einherjar moved forward to surround the two, pushing Thor and the woman back with shield and spear.
"Had I known Njord had a son, I would've destroyed Asgard long ago!" Malekith spat out a globule of black ichor into his own golden chestplate.
Percy snarled. "Your wars destroyed a peaceful people!" The records that he had requested to be shown about the Svartalfar people had dated that the war had begun near the end of Buri's reign of Asgard with the Dark Elf assassination of Njord perpetuated by the Dark Elf below him. He had near torn the book apart when he read it.
Malekith and Njord doomed the Undine before the Asgardian could return the blessings given to him.
He hated Njord just as equally for taking advantage of the naivety of the water spirits but he wasn't here right now.
Malekith was though and that would have to suffice.
"You Asgardians are anything but peaceful!" Malekith retorted that sickening smirk attempting to come into being as his teeth were covered and stained with their black blood.
"I am not an Asgardian! I am Perseus Jackson!" He bellowed and curled his fist willing the stygian iron blade to come into being. It refused his call and Perseus snarled, realizing it was destroyed during Sif's fight with one of the Kursed, as he quickly shrugged off his helmet, the stygian iron blade that edged the seashell frill would have to do and he pressed it against the throat of the Dark Elf. "I am the Demigod Son of Poseidon! I am the Bane of the Immortal! And I will avenge the Undine!"
And with the declaration, Percy brought the blade up and then down into the exposed neck of the Dark Elf Lord. Black ichor spattered across his face and body as the blade dug deep into the skin of the elf while Malekith sputtered in pain and went into shock at the sudden attack and the enchantment of Stygian Iron took root in his mind. The fact that the blade was blunt probably made it hurt all the more.
Percy brought up his helmet again and then brought it down. A black wispy smoke dissipating from the wound as it was absorbed by the frill of the helmet.
And then up.
And then down.
The motion carried for an additional dozen times as a blood red rage began to fill his vision. The serene and melodious whisper becoming more like discordant shouts.
Thor was grim faced at the scene and the woman was looking on in horror at him. Not that Percy cared in the slightest. "Go to the Palace." Was Percy measured statement as if he didn't just massacre someone in a cold-blooded rage. "I'll be there after I finish here."
Thor nodded but looked conflicted at following his words as if he wanted to and didn't at the same time. The woman's eyes were wide at him but was quickly ushered away by Thor.
He willed the noise in his mind away as he took deep and measured breaths, clipping his helmet to his hip and schooling his features as he stood to face the crowd that had stopped to watch him.
They immediately turned to continue their work with removing the dead and treating the wounded.
He took another heavy and deep breath. The Aether. An apparent reality warping artefact that was coiled around his arm had imprinted upon his mind of how it can be used. As if it had a sort of sentience to it.
He looked around. The pavilion was torn apart, stone and metal rubble strewn about the entire place. Damage to the surrounding buildings were as equally torn apart with craters and massive gouges in them.
First, Percy kneeled onto both his knees resting upon the heels of his boots and brought himself into a meditative state, to summon a calm and light rain. The act would allow him to further extend his senses to the entire city proper as the permeating moisture and water in the air and around the ground would act as a further conduit.
Something that he did while fighting, so he would be aware of anything and everything that happened around him and wouldn't be caught off guard if someone got close or were too far away for him to reach.
He closed his eyes, focusing while he took in another deep breath willing the discordant shouts that echoed in his mind back to a serene whisper.
He felt the slight patter of rainfall but it never grew beyond that. A constant drizzle, if that and there was a very slight breeze that cut through the city, pushing and swirling the water in the air in an attempt to spread itself as much as possible.
After a solid minute of it raining, Percy extended his senses and outstretched the arm that had the Aether wrapped around it and placed it upon the ground in front of him. Dozens of tendrils of red eldritch energy began to seep from the palm of his hand. From those tendrils hundreds and then thousands began extending throughout the city.
In his mind he pictured the tree of Yggdrasil and its innumerable branches and innumerous miniscule disc leaves, running through the streets of and buildings of the Golden City.
He cleared his mind and then put a singular intent into it.
Restore.
With his senses extended as such and with the help of the Aether, he felt the thrum and hum of energy. He could feel the cascade of the Aether begin repairing the damage wrought from the battle.
Cobbled roads were paved from the granules and uprooted material of the ground as if they were never dug into in the first place.
Golden buildings and spires molded back together using the destroyed piles of rubble to rebuild the ruined buildings.
He didn't try to heal Asgardians. It felt…weird, for lack of a better term when he tried to do so. Like the Aether did not want to do it or something that it could not do. Whatever that meant.
But their home, he could at least aid them in repairing since he had allowed Thor to go ahead with his plan and being mostly responsible for the incurred damages because of it.
He willed the energies to dissipate after most of the damages were repaired and felt a slight burning sensation on his bracer and arm where the Aether was. He opened his eyes slightly as saw that the energies and burnt away the arm of his long sleeve while the imperial gold bracer looked to be steaming and heated from the use. Probably due to the amount of energy that was exuded.
Luckily he had a natural resistance to heat and a sort of immunity to it. He found that out the hard way on Mt. Saint Helens all those years ago and it had only gotten stronger after his stint in Tartarus. The rain also helped in keeping him safe as well.
He waved the thought and the storm away as he regarded the new situation before him.
Much of the damage had been repaired thanks to him though few sent nods of thanks to him for the help, they continued to remove the wounded and dead from the pavilions.
It was evening by the time most of the work was done. It was a communal effort. Percy helping like he was of the common soldiery though he still directed the clean up. Asgardians had filtered from their homes and were helping where they could but with most of the damage repaired from Percy's use of the Aether, there was only so much left to be done.
After that was done, a quiet but oddly pleasant trek back to the Palace was made, with Einherjar and Asgardian Warrior in tow, all weary but with a sense of elation that the conflict was over. Though Percy made it a point not to be in the lead. This was their victory not his.
When he had learned of what happened between Njord and Malekith, the war had turned personal for him. He didn't care for the Aether. He didn't care for any of it. His mind was solely set on seeing the Dark Elf Lord die by his hands.
The Aether and the wider war only served as an avenue to achieve his goal.
The warriors dispersed among the courtyard outskirts of the Palace while the Einherjar that were stationed outside the Palace began to walk in.
He was greeted with a sight he didn't expect to see.
Instead, standing at the entrance of the Throne Hall of Asgard was Frigga, the Queen of Asgard, looking as if she never had the encounter of drowning in her own blood. She was accompanied by two Einherjar, recognizing them as the two Einherjar advisors that he had pressed into his service, who nodded and bowed slightly to him before stepping to the side.
Considering, his abilities, being in possession of the Aether and saving her life, not once but twice, it was only natural that they deemed the Queen safe in his care and with the conflict seemingly over, there was hardly any threat at the moment to her life.
"Walk with me Perseus. The King awaits inside." She spoke quietly with a soft smile that oddly reminded him of Hestia if he was being honest with himself.
Percy didn't respond, not seeing any other alternative other than acquiescing to the request. They began walking. "I and the King were told of the encounter between you and Malekith." She said but didn't sound accusing. Only curiosity in was brimming in her voice. "You spoke of avenging the Undine."
His blood boiled at the thought of the Dark Elf Lord but forced the feeling away. He was dead and in the grand scheme of things, naught but a pest to be disposed of in his eyes. To allow him the comfort of his mind was not something that Percy would allow.
The Son of Poseidon inclined his head slightly. "I had an encounter with them the night I arrived. They….they are no more." He finished. "I will explain more with King Odin."
She nodded at that and he could see that from the peripheral of his eye that she eyed the coiled crimson energy that was around his arm.
Inside was…warm. Not in temperature but in emotion, well in heat as well but that was besides the point. A sense of security and elation had fallen over the hall as a few guards lined the edges, offering salutes and bows as they continued the journey to the Throne of Odin.
This was apparently to be a private affair.
Braziers and torches of everlight lined the walls making it seem as though it was still day on Asgard.
He wondered why the Queen had come to greet him but thought nothing of it for the time being as his thoughts were pulled at the kneeling forms of Thor's party, having mostly recovered from the Battle for the Aether as he had heard a couple children call it.
They were on a knee, with their heads bowed slightly at the Throne of Asgard where he saw the imperial and grizzled figure of the King of Asgard sitting upon his newly repaired golden arched throne. Tyr was off to the King's side, a tight smile on his own weathered face and holding a small silver metal container in his hand.
He hoped that wasn't some sort of gift.
Then he saw the face of the Asgardian woman that had wielded Mjolnir to the Harrows of the Svartalfar, her helmet off to her side. If his eyes weren't deceiving him, that was Jane Foster. The human mortal, clad in Asgardian plate and armor. He shook that thought away.
In all honesty, he had thought that she was dead.
Tabling that revelation for later, he stood off to the side before being ushered by the Queen to stand where Sif had stood beside the King when Percy had first entered the realm of Asgard. Frigga took her place beside her husband.
The proceedings began without further preamble as the King looked to him. "I am told that Thor had attempted an escape of Asgard with the Aether. Yet, the Lady Sif tells of your sanctioning of the act, Lord Executioner." The title grated on his nerves and he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes and cringe as Odin spoke it.
Odin spoke to him with a stony façade. "Is this true?"
He felt all eyes settle on him but he ignored them and looked to kneeling forms of the Asgardian Prince and his party. "Lady Sif speaks true." He spoke after a moment reverting to his practiced formal speech as he did so. One he absolutely detested. "Several Asgardians reported to me of them abandoning their posts to attend a meeting called by the Prince. I waited and confronted Lady Sif and Lord Heimdall where they divulged the nature of the plan. Seeing a way to end the war quickly, I ensured that they would be able to escape the palace."
"Hmm." The King hummed. Thor looked to him with slightly wide eyes before looking back down, looking guilty. "Continue Perseus."
And so, he did. He outlined how his plan in conjunction with the Prince's. Even adding tidbits that he didn't divulge to Sif and Heimdall. Namely, the requisitioning of additional military skiffs from around the realm of Asgard and the positioning of two dozen Einherjar within the Bifrost chambers.
It was a gamble but Percy doubted that Malekith would attack those other cities if for no other reason so he could keep a personal eye on the Aether.
He didn't elaborate on the positioning of additional guards on the Bifrost just yet.
"It was not without its faults though and not nearly as foolproof as it could have been. Had my counterpart been here, she would have been able to at least mitigate some of the risks involved." He looked to Frigga and said with as much sincerity as he could muster as it truly was no one else's fault except that of misfortune. She flushed slightly at what he was insinuating. Her condition deteriorating could not have happened at a worse time. If it hadn't the Aether should have been wholly safe without the risk of it being pulled.
He had been essentially sidelined from the entire battle because of it. It was probably the most alien feeling so far that he had experienced since stepping foot on Asgard which was saying a lot considering this was an alien planet.
His remarks regarding Reyna were also true. She was better at grand strategy than he was and would have seen many of the holes in the hasty plan that was put together.
"And had the plan not worked, they would have all been detained." He paused as he considered his next words. "There was no way of knowing how much the Dark Elves were able to bring to bear. I was working under the assumption that had they the numbers we would have lost already as they were already giving us time to mobilize. Them not taking the bait would have indicated that they would have spent much of their manpower on the first attack and would be waiting for an easier opening."
He paused slightly. "It was made aware to me, by Bjorn," He nodded to the Einherjar in question. "that the Bifrost possess near the same capabilities as the Convergence with being able to access all the realms near instantaneously and if Malekith was waiting then he probably didn't care much for the phenomenon and would have just used the Bifrost in its stead. Then the war would have turned into one of attrition and subterfuge regardless."
He heard an intake of air from Odin, who looked to the Einherjar in question, who in response shuffled nervously and from others throughout the hall. They must've not realized that either. Percy certainly didn't until Bjorn had made note of it.
"That is why you placed the guards there." Percy nodded at Odin's statement and also continued. "And that is why you kept Heimdall in the palace."
Again Percy nodded but didn't say anything else.
There was a silence until Percy broke it. "If it means anything, considering that the plan worked, for the most part, I think that they should be pardoned for their roles. It was sanctioned after all."
Another silence before Odin looked to Percy. "You are the Executioner are you not? It is your duty to decide, for it was a matter of war."
"Then they are pardoned." He said easily. And just like that, sighs and breaths of relief were had from those kneeling. He could have sworn to have seen a couple tears fall from Fandral's eyes but he didn't say anything. "I believe with the war over, that my duties as Executioner are fulfilled." Percy stepped from the side of the Throne and took a couple steps down so he was not directly at the feet of the golden seat as he kneeled on one knee bowing his head slightly before looking up.
Odin stood and approached him with Gungnir in hand, having learned the other monikers for it during his rather rapid studying of the history of the wars against the Dark Elves and tutoring by Olaf and Bjorn.
Percy felt the others behind him, that were kneeling, stand at when he fell to a knee.
He willed the Aether to snake from his body and into the palm of his hand, even if it near refused to but he willed it and it had to obey. The red glow from the red paints on his armor died as it did so. He forced it to coalesce into a flat lozenge cut gem and then clenched his hand into a fist, willing it to freeze in hardened but thin layer of ice.
He blinked away the sensation as the whispers left but left echoes and imprints on his mind.
A sudden weariness took hold of him and he took a breath to steady himself.
He opened his hand and proffered it to King Odin. In the palm of his hand was a blood red gem resting, the ice having small veins of the Aether running through it but it did not look to be breaking from its prison any time soon.
"Tyr."
The Captain of Palace Guard stepped forward and opened the small silver case. Inside looked to be a what Percy assumed to be a willowing and translucent field of some kind, he equated it similar to a ward line but didn't dwell much on it. It was clear that the Aether was to be placed inside and that was exactly what Percy did as he daintily placed the gem into the case.
It floated peacefully within the field and Percy cocked his head at that, having expected a rather violent reaction to the attempt at containment. The Aether, after all, did not want to be parted from him and he had to nearly focus all his will again into expelling it from his body.
The container closed and Tyr stepped backwards as Odin set the King's Spear atop the the crown of his head. "Perseus Jackson, Sword of Olympus and Executioner of Asgard. As put forth in the terms of the pact, you have fought and emerged victorious against the Svartalfar threat. I now ask of you to relinquish your duties and authority as Executioner of Asgard and all else that the title entails. Do you do so?"
Percy did not even hesitate. "I relinquish my title as Executioner of Asgard and all else that the title entails."
The cold metal of the King's Spear was lifted from the crown of his head and he felt his shoulders sag in relief as the mental burden was removed of him.
"Now rise, Perseus Jackson, Sword of Olympus."
And Percy rose, feeling relieved, bowing slightly once more at the waist and moving beside the seven others that were standing there awkwardly as Sif held her maroon and silver dented helmet at her side while Jane twiddled with her new silver headwear in front of her.
His own helmet was still clipped to his own hip as he clasped his own hands behind his back.
Odin stood before the group but stopped in front of Jane. "And what happened to you? You are an Asgardian now and you bear the armor of the Valkyrie."
She shrunk under the piercing and inquisitive gaze of the Allfather. "I don't know. The…Aether it felt like it was killing me. I didn't want to die."
Odin hummed as he thought on the matter for only a moment. "I am guessing your mortal desire is what did it. Your basest need was to live but it should not have turned you into one of my people. So what was it?"
Jane flushed in apparent embarrassment. "I didn't want to be useless." She admitted quietly but in the silence of the Throne Hall it was easy to be heard. "I had all these people fighting and dying because of me and there wasn't anything I could do about it." An apparent fire ignited in her eyes as she looked about the gathered Asgardians and demigod. "I wanted to be like you guys."
Odin hummed and Thor looked away but even Percy could see the pride in his eyes at Jane's words. "You cannot stay on Asgard." He said and a glance to Percy told him all he needed to know where this was going. Thor moved to protest but a raised hand from his father stopped any retort that might have been said.
Jane's eyes glanced to him as well and he simply stared back as she looked away.
"We will speak of what to do with you later. Thor, escort her to her chambers if you will." Hearing the dismissal for what it was Thor and Jane left, escorted being led by a pair of guards.
"Loki." Odin spoke his tone was of stone. "Given your role in this despite being wholly unaware, I am inclined to revisit your sentence. You will return and be confined to your quarters for the time being."
The green robed Asgardian and bowed mockingly, earning a growl of annoyance from the King, before speeding away, being followed by a dozen Einherjar this time.
"The rest of you will also return to your homes. I will see you all come morning. Perseus you will remain as will Heimdall."
Percy glanced at them as did Heimdall, while they bowed at the waist and began leaving. Sif looked to him as if she wanted to say something but seemed to have decided not to as she left without another word.
"Guards, allow yourselves some food, drink and rest." Another dismissal that they took without any argument as they all left. Including Bjorn and Olaf.
All that remained were Odin, Heimdall, Frigga and Percy. "Come." Odin said as he and the Queen linked arms. Percy and Heimdall flanked them.
He led them to a balcony where they could overlook near the entire city. The entire journey being a quiet one. People were out and about, celebrating the victory, feasting and drinking to their heart's content.
But for some reason Percy felt hollow.
He didn't feel anything. To him, it felt just like any other battle that needed to be fought.
Like any other war that needed to be won.
The stars were in full force that night as was the silver of the moon that shone down upon the city. The royal pair sat on a bench that was central to them while Percy and Heimdall stood on either side. Odin spoke suddenly. "Tell me of the Undine."
The Son of Poseidon sighed and recounted the what had happened beneath the waves beneath Asgard. The story given by the Elder Undine and Aeira and the near hopeless situation that they had found themselves in.
"When I opened my eyes, they were gone. The Elder had left his staff." Percy said and reached into the satchel, thinking of the ashen staff that was used by the elder Undine man and pulled it free from the space. A long ashen hooked staff rested in his hands, it wasn't damaged by the time it had spent underneath the waves nor did it look all that impressive.
It was simply a wooden hooked ashen staff.
He handed it to Odin. Who waved his hand over it, humming lightly at something. "This was fashioned from a branch of Yggdrasil itself and still has its renowned magical longevity."
Percy guessed as much. Odin's hand hovered over the sea green ribbon that he had wrapped around the base of the hook. "And this?"
"Aeira's." Percy said keeping his voice level, though a crack did escape and showcased both his anger and remorse. "She saved my life."
"I see." Odin and Frigga glanced to the demigod, who kept his hands in clenched fists and had looked away at the memory. When Percy looked back they shared a long glance with each other, before Odin spoke once again. "Keep them both. I can see that their memories mean much to you." As he offered the ribbon adorned staff back to him, who gently took it and set it back into his satchel.
At that Percy bowed deeply at the waist, in an attempt to show his gratitude. "Thank you."
He really meant it. He would never forget them. Maybe he can plant his own ash tree at his estate. It was an idea he would seriously consider. The dryads would enjoy it if it really did have ambient magic still within it.
He looked thoughtful as he regarded both him and the staff of Yggdrasil before looking back into the city.
Percy guessed though that this was not all that the King of Asgard had wanted to talk about.
They were silent for a little longer before Odin spoke once again. "I wanted to talk about your actions in your position as Asgard's Executioner."
I think you mean you want to talk about the purging of your dungeons. Percy thought to himself. If he really cared he would've raised a fuss about it already.
"I did what I thought was needed."
"I know." Odin spoke and he looked all the years of his advanced age once again as he winced, clutching slightly at his side. "And that is what had worried me."
What?
"Heimdall, ensure we are alone." Frigga said, quietly and the watchman nodded as he closed his eyes and extended his senses. "We are alone."
Odin continued without preamble looking out into Asgard. "When you first stepped foot on Asgard, I had felt something that I had not felt in many millennia. Something Frigga and Heimdall also felt but we kept it to ourselves. I felt Death walk the grounds of Asgard once again."
Scrunching his eyes in confusion and slightly concerned, Percy inclined his head to indicate that he was still listening. "And when I looked upon you, Perseus Jackson, I was reminded of a past mistake."
"He speaks of our first-born. Our daughter." Frigga said sadly, but was looking to the ground. Percy could feel the water in her eyes.
Percy choked on his breath. "Excuse me if I'm wrong, but isn't-"
"A ruse. She was banished and locked away when her ambition grew out of my control." Odin cut him off. "In time as well, for I feared when she would lay her gaze upon the realm of Olympus and the war that was sure to erupt between us. She was expunged from all records of Asgardian history to ensure she was entirely forgotten. Only a handful remember her and they are sworn to secrecy."
"Damnatio memoriae." Percy whispered. There were calls in the New Rome Senate to render Reyna unto such a penalty for the circumstances in which she left the Legion. Only his intervention and that of the Olympians themselves had prevented the act from being carried out but the Daughter of Bellona was effectively banished from the city afterwards.
Odin nodded and Heimdall spoke this time. "Your actions as Executioner worried me that there would be another coup, disguised as security and the good of the realm. Despite, your Greek heritage, purging the dungeons earned you a score of Einherjar that would follow you without question. You were gathering a following. That is why I nudged the Prince to draw you from Asgard before you could further cement your position."
"She was as ruthless as you were. Never taking any prisoners unless it benefited her. Cunning as you were. You set up an information network that was able to report my son and his friends the moment they left their posts. She would do the same on every world she and I conquered. And when she walked the battlefield, death followed in her wake." Odin said. "All in a single day. Something that is, by no means, an easy feat."
Percy connected all the dots. The times when the three Asgardians before him looked at him with weird gazes and looks when he thought he wouldn't notice them.
I was acting just like their daughter. Percy realized as the words fully hit him.
"I was just doing what needed to be done." Percy mumbled but looked into the city not daring to meet their eyes.
"And you took no joy of it as she did." Frigga said, in a reassuring voice. "You saved my life when you could have left me for death. You spared the lives of my son and his companions when you could have left them for dead and you could have destroyed us when you took control of the Aether."
Percy didn't say anything. Thoughts of his dream of that entity pervaded his mind. Destroyer. Apollyon.
"As much as the conflict against the Dark Elves needed to be waged, it was also a test for you, Perseus, and you passed." Odin admitted. "I needed to be sure that you were what you were. So I want to ask one more thing of you."
Percy didn't respond as he continued to look out to the city.
The King continued regardless. "Her imprisonment is tied to my lifeforce. When I die, she will be released and she will come for Asgard and the Nine Realms." The way he said it made it sound like it would be soon.
But that could mean anything. The guy was hundreds of thousands of years old, if not millions. Soon could mean decades from now or the next day.
Despite the inherent longevity of demigods, Percy was unsure if he would even survive the coming years. Sooner or later, some immortal or monster needed only one lucky hit and he was done for.
By Hades, he was one of the lucky few to have lived thus far.
But, it immediately clicked for the demigod what the King of Asgard was about to ask of him. "You want me to kill her when the time comes."
He nodded undeterred. "A common saying among the humans I believe is to, 'Fight Fire with Fire.' You are that fire. A destroyer against a destroyer."
Percy did not want to finish the saying aloud but did so in his mind. And the forest will burn.
"And what would you have me do?"
"I would reinstate the title of Executioner upon you. Where upon the time comes that Asgard be prepared to fight alongside you when she returns."
Percy's answer was immediate. "No." Once was one too many for him. Even if they hadn't told him all of this. He wouldn't ever take that mantle again. The position of command suited him too well but it brought back to many horrible memories of the Second Gigantomachy and his own situation with Olympus.
And those were memories he was desperately trying to avoid. Familial conflicts was something that he was working already to put behind the Immortals of Olympus.
But if he was right and Percy had no reason to believe any different, then the woman would come for his home regardless of what he did or not.
His rational thoughts cut through his desire to not be involved. She would go for Asgard first, those with grudges always attacked those that wronged them first. He should know. He experienced it. He could cut her off at the proverbial pass when she came to Asgard.
It was a long moment before Percy spoke once again. A near full minute passing before he did so. "No. I won't be your weapon. But I'll be your Shield." He felt his blood cool. It wasn't the chilling and perverse feeling that he had expected and was all too common when he said the words.
This sensation was nice. As if the idea of not being sent after something like a hound was something foreign to him. To be a Shield instead of a Sword. He nodded more to himself then anything. "I won't command any more of your wars but call upon Olympus once more, and I will answer."
Frigga smiled at him but her smile soon shrank when Percy spoke again. "I recommend teaching Thor the difference between ruling a people and commanding an army because if I won't be leading Asgard then he will be. His heart's in the right place but for a general it would lose him a war."
Odin nodded his voice quieter then before. "It has already been considered. On the morrow, he will be told and his teaching will begin after he escorts you to Nidavellir and then Midgard."
Percy nodded that had been weighing on his chest for a good amount of time. Percy would still be having words with the Prince of Asgard for his actions but it was better that it would be reinforced with his father's words.
He had missed the words of the King in regards to the Realm of the Dwarves.
War was more than charging headlong with the vanguard into battle. It was logistics. It was information. It was subterfuge. It was choosing when and where to fight. It was sacrifice. If Percy had to lead an army against Thor, it would be no contest as to who would win. The Son of Poseidon was that sure of his own prowess in the aspect of command that he could guarantee that.
The less said if Reyna had control of an army the better.
The Daughter of Bellona could and would run circles around Percy with everything that she considered.
"I have two more favors to ask of you."
He could guess one of them and it had to do with Jane Foster.
"Jane Foster cannot remain on Asgard." It was almost too easy. "She would provide an unneeded distraction to Thor as he learns the finer aspects of war. As an Asgardian now, she falls under my protection and jurisdiction, so I ask that she remains with you and that you train her in combat, whether she wants to be or not, she will learn to fight as all Asgardians do. Since she bears the armor of the Valkyrie, she will learn how to fight."
He couldn't exactly deny him either. Jane would want to go to Earth regardless and she proved a major risk to his identity and the Immortal Realm. Nothing an Oath on the Styx or the liberal application of the Mist won't fix but he would rather not resort to such desperate measures when he could just teach her.
Percy already had one incapable student, what was another?
He nodded his assent. It would be a learning experience for him to, he supposed. He would be training someone that had next to no experience in the art of fighting. At least Calypso could use a bow if it came down to it. Worse comes to worse he could just dump her on Chiron.
The old centaur needed a new challenge anyways. The lazy bastard.
"The next one is to take Lady Sif with you."
Percy pounded his armored chest as he began to choke on his spittle. After recovering, he spoke. "Excuse me? I don't think I heard you right." He looked between the three Asgardians who had slight smiles at his violent reaction.
The Queen was even laughing lightly at him.
"You heard me right, Perseus. Lady Sif will be as much of a distraction as Lady Jane."
"And Fandral and Volstagg? You don't expect me to take them as well?"
"The thought has crossed my mind but no. They will be learning the finer aspects of war as well to serve as Thor's lieutenants. She will be not simply idling there. She will be acting as Asgard's envoy with Olympus and teaching Jane and you of Asgard's history. She will also fight by your side should you need it."
Heimdall spoke next, his amber eyes cocked at him. "Besides, the Sword should never stray far from the Shield." Chuckling to himself as the reverberated words left his mouth.
"I don't suppose you want to hand me Loki while we're at it?" Percy's sarcasm was in full force now. They were dropping Asgardians on him left and right. Two were going to piss off the Olympians. Let's just bring full circle and bring the deal breaker.
At that Frigga laughed fully, a near titter as if she were embarrassed at the mere act. It really did remind him of Hestia.
Odin scowled though at the mention of his estranged and adopted son. "No, Loki will remain in Asgard, permitted only to the Palace grounds at most. I am still investigating as to who may have been influencing his mind. I have a few ideas but nothing set in stone."
That explained why Odin hadn't outright killed him when he was brought back to Asgard. Even Percy had to admit that he was a little surprised at seeing him alive. Even the more soft-spoken and kind-hearted Hestia had seemed to want to kill the snake but that could be attributed to the distinct disregard that both pantheons had for each other.
"So you saw it to?" Percy asked his voice still light but held a tinge of seriousness. "I didn't kill him because he seemed to be under the influence of something but we didn't care much for what."
Odin nodded but didn't elaborate on the matter as they all looked to the city.
"Heimdall will escort you to your room, Perseus. Someone will collect you in the morning. You will have a busy day tomorrow. I ask that you keep what we discussed to yourself. Especially, my son Thor."
The Son of Poseidon nodded but the weight added from their conversation was nothing like having the fate of the universe in his hands.
That was not a responsibility he ever wanted to experience again.
'The two worst strategic mistakes to make are acting prematurely and letting an opportunity to slip; to avoid this the warrior treats each situation as if it were unique.'
-Paulo Cuelho
And that is this universe's Dark World for you!
I want to hear your thoughts on the battle scene. Unfortunately, I did not want Percy fighting in it against many people wanting to see him kick major Dark Elf ass. He was never supposed to anyways as I felt it wouldn't be all that entertaining.
So I had to find away to set up where he wouldn't be in the fight. Multiple mentions of Frigga being his top priority were made and I believe at least one mention was made that Percy could manipulate it if he was focusing hard enough. (Hint Hint)
I also want to know what you think of Jane becoming Valkyrie. Despite my earlier comments of her, (for those who remember) being a gimmick character allowed me to flesh her out and I will continue to do so. Also, MCU you really telling me she had the Aether in her and never had any reaction or lingering effects to it? Carol was exposed to Tesseract Energy! Wanda, the Mind Stone. And not even directly like Jane was!
I call bullshit on that. So I made use of it. Refer to chapter X for a vague hint and XV for more of her thoughts to her intent. Though this will be explained further later on. She was the easter egg from the last chapter by the way. It was incredibly vague but one nonetheless.
As you can see, I am propping up many more heroes for the Avengers! Now we have Jane and Sif coming in! I have more planned don't worry. Mostly women (I think – I have a list, that I'll have to check...again) because the ratio of women to men in the MCU Avengers Team is already heavily favoring the guys.
So now I have mentioned X-Men, Spider Man and the Fantastic 4 as well so take of that what you will.
Pairing is still undecided and will be for the foreseeable future!