A Mother's Return
Hela stepped into the world of the living for the first time in years. The world seemed so bright compared to Hel but at the same time it was still dark. Her gaze washed over those before her upon her return from her banishment. She cared little about them as she reached out with her magic searching for the one she had left long ago when she had temporarily been able to escape her prison.
“You must be Hela, I’m Thor son of Odin.”
She spared him a glance completely uninterested in the second born child of Odin. Odin had banished her when she had grown up to be the war loving goddess he raised her to be. Her magic found what she was looking for and with her heart pounding with both excitement and anxiety she teleported from her younger brother and the other she hadn’t yet heard the name of.
When she arrived she stared uncertain what she was looking at. A trembling hand reached out to touch the far to pale man that lay in the medical room. The machines hooked up to him left her feeling terrified for his health. She could feel it on him; death was clinging to him desperately trying to claim him. He was her son though and he would fight even when he was weakened and should have been claimed if he were anyone else. She finally reached out to touch his cheek.
“My Anthony…my Tesoro.” She whispered to her son who couldn’t hear her.
In her rage at his current state her magic caused the machines attached to him to crash against the wall. Her magic engulfed the room to keep all others out but also to sink into his body mending all the damage she could find. Fearing Odin finding him she had been forced to hide away his heritage. With the limitations of his human nature he had aged at the normal human rate. She ran her fingers through his dark curls that had begun to grey with that aging. His face showed his age as a middle aged human male but he also bore the signs of a man stressed with his daily life.
“Oh my dear Mimmo, what has this world done to you?”
She lifted his still form as she cradled him close. Her magic took them from the sickly smelling room as she sought out his residence. It was fairly easy to find. Her precious child had always been so smart and talented. Even in his mortal state his magic found a way to escape and did so with his creations. Each one that was created with love and affection bearing a part of him in the form of his magic. It was how she found herself standing before a being unlike anything she’d seen before. She knew the gem within his forehead well; Odin had spoken of the infinity gems and their power on several occasions. If she had to guess she’d say it was the mind stone.
“Who are you and why do you have Mr. Stark?” The machine/person asked.
“I am Hela of Asgard, though I know it may not make sense to you I am his mother. I took him from that sickly place so he may wake healthy within his home.”
The red being studied her a moment before he gave a small nod.
“Did you heal him?”
“I did, I am as talented a mage as I am a warrior. And you are?”
“I am Vision; I was brought to life by Mr. Stark, Dr. Banner, and Thor Odinson.”
She would have to look into that later as she was uncertain how the three had produced such a being. His soul though was a result of her son; she could see his magic flowing through it. No one else could craft a soul in such a way.
“Very well, it is a pleasure to meet you Vision. Please lead me to my son’s chambers, I wish to put him to bed.”
Vision led her and watched as she tucked Tony into bed. She watched him for a few moments with a sorrowful gaze for how long she had been apart from him. When she left his room she looked at the being her child had created.
“You are his only family?”
Vision hesitated before he shook his head.
“He has others; would you like to meet them?”
She wanted to but not yet. She would seek his permission first before meeting the others his son had surrounded himself with.
“Later when he has awakened. For now I wish to know if he kept my piano.”
Asgard had no love of music other than for entertaining visiting royalty and nobles. During her years as the mortal woman Maria she had learned to play the musical instrument and had found it calmed some of the rage within her. She had taught her son to play in his youth when her husband had not been teaching him to craft as he did. To see her piano still well cared for she sat before it and let her fingers press into the familiar keys. She recalled the song she had sung the last time she saw her child. It passed from her lips with a familiarity that did not suggest it had been a few decades since she last sang it.
She played it a few times without argument from Vision. It was how her son found them when he woke. The healing process hadn’t taken long with her magic and once it had finished he’d awoken likely confused on how he had arrived in his home.
“Who are you?” Was his first question which hurt knowing he may not believe her next words.
“I am many things. I am a queen. I am a warrior. I am a mage. What you may know me best as though is a mother my little Tesoro.”
He tensed hearing her say that in an all too familiar accent. She lifted her gaze to him and offered a small smile.
“I bought this piano when you were but a boy. You had the most beautiful curious gaze when you looked at it. I picked you up and placed you at my side so I could play a song for you. It was something I had just come up with on the spot hoping you’d gain my same love of music.”
She began playing again the same song she had that day. It wasn’t anything that had existed before but she had been trying to covey feelings she could not with words.
“It sounds like a sad melody.” Vision said as Tony was still standing speechless.
She smiled sad and heartbroken.
“I told Anthony it was sad because mommy was very sad before he came into her life.”
“How?” Tony breathed out shaking with emotion. “How could you know that?”
She brushed her fingers over the keys without pressing them.
“My name is Hela Odindottir. Before Odin gave up on being a tyrant and warmonger he and I stood side by side conquering realms and slaughtering armies. I was his executioner; I wielded the power of Mjolnir as my weapon. When Odin had conquered the nine realms he decided he was done with war and would live as a peacekeeping king. He had raised me in war, taught me to love the battlefield, to love the conquest. Yet he expected me to change as he did then blame me for living as I was taught to. I did not wish to give up what he’d taught me to love and so he banished me to the realm of the dead. I attempted to escape but he sent his fiercest warriors the Valkyrie to stop me. I slaughtered many that day because Odin never truly intended for them to stop me. Only to stall so he may enforce the seals on my prison. For centuries madness and my rage at him grew but also my loneliness. I found a spell to escape my prison if only partly. I could be born into a human child destined to die. A stillborn that would never take a breath of living air. I would be free but not as myself and my gifts limited. I was born to an Italian family as Maria Carbonell. I fell in love with life and the wonders I never saw when at war. I wedded a man known as Howard Stark and came to treasure the small infant son we had together. When my life ended as that mortal woman I was returned to my prison until the day Odin died.”
“If you’re really my mom how did you die?”
Hela’s fingers froze over the keys.
“There was a man, a human that Howard recognized. Sargent Barnes but he did not recognize his own name when it was called. He hit Howard…three times. Then placed him in his seat with his head against the wheel. He did not speak to me as he choked me.”
She looked up at Tony to see tears in his eyes but he had always been a strong child and would not cry.
“What did you get me for my sixth birthday?”
She smiled.
“You didn’t want anything of possessions. You were an affectionate child and only wanted to spend the day with me, Jarvis, Ana, and your aunt Peggy.”
Finally Tony approached her and she stood to embrace her son. He clung to her finally crying silently in her arms. She politely asked Vision to give them some space knowing her little Anthony would not let his tears be heard by another.
“Always such a strong warrior, we are alone now Mimmo so you may cry freely.”
He wailed out his pain as he clung to her. She was careful to embrace him knowing how his mortal body could break under her Asgardian strength.
“You are my son and I wish to awaken your heritage. Though I was in mortal form it did not mean you didn’t inherit my godly nature. It is simply sleeping for I could not risk Odin finding you.” She said when he finally calmed down.
There was silence for a while before he spoke in a whisper.
“Sargent Barnes…do you blame him for killing you and Howard?”
She was running her fingers through his hair humming softly as she considered it. She didn’t know the facts behind why the man hadn’t recognized Howard or his own name. She did know he should not have remained as young as he was unless someone had done something to him. Last she had heard during her mortal years, he had been dead. She had the sinking suspicion someone had found him and altered him.
“No, I do not. I did not think he was in his right mind at the time. The dead speak and while in their realm I had heard many tales of his kills. Though many speak with hatred and fear a few are confused as he seemed off.”
“He was brain washed by Hydra.”
“I see…” She said knowing of Hydra. She had greeted many of their victims in Hel.
“Ok…you can awaken my heritage…just don’t leave me again. Ok?”
She smiled at him though he could not see it as he still clung to her.
“I shall strive not to.”
She placed her hands on his cheeks and allowed her magic to once again sink into his body. She found the locks within him that sealed away his true heritage and with ease she unlocked them. He winced in pain as he slumped against her as his body underwent the change. His magic was awakening, his body returning to what a forty six year old Asgardian would look like, and his body adjusted to the true strength within him.
The grey of his hair vanished, his hair became softer of an Asgardian youth, and age lines disappeared. She cupped her son’s cheeks to look at his youthful face and see the small smile he offered her.
“Oh Tesoro I’m so happy I can finally see you as you were meant to be.”
He collapsed against her sound asleep as the change had taken a lot out of him. She picked him up to return him to his room. Vision was standing nearby and looked at Tony not looking surprised by the change. Placed in his bed again she approached Vision who appeared to be protective of her son.
“Tell me why he was in such a state that the scent of death clung to him.”
Vision frowned slightly before he led her to an office. He handed her a document that was fairly large in size though nothing compared to some she’d been forced to read as Asgard’s heir.
“This is what the Avengers fought over. It was decided upon by the majority of the countries of this world. Mr. Stark sided with the 117 countries that pushed for this document to pass. His former allies chose not to and went as far as to commit various crimes in order to go against it.”
Hela made herself comfortable in the office as she began reading the document to understand it and the situation that led to her son’s injured state. When she finished reading it she looked up at Vision.
“I wish to know what transpired in the fight.”
She was shown video of the fight. She watched her son try to reason with a blonde man wearing an odd uniform. She watched the fight and the injury that happened to someone who was apparently friends with Tony. Seeing the visuals that Tony did of the suit when cars were slammed onto him with the full intension of doing harm she felt the protective rage of a mother fill her. These people were neither friends nor warriors. They had no honor of such titles and they lacked care for both their rulers and their people. Hela had been a warrior who acted for her people. She had been a princess who answered to her king. She understood both these things. Her people had sought war and she led them to victory. Her king had demanded war, spoils, and people to answer to him. She had granted this as she fought, took spoils of war, and subjugated various peoples of many worlds. When she had dared to turn against her king and question him there had been a valid reason. These people had no reason other than seeking to be gods among men, to answer to no one else. These people demanded to know their warriors did not act as though they were gods. To answer to them and their fears. So far it seemed most of these warriors had fought, killed, and destroyed without worrying about the consequences of these actions. Leaving the fallout of their battles and wars to the people. Such careless actions and careless people. They did not deserve the honor of the title of warrior.
“I require all the information you can give me on these people. I wish to understand how to best handle those who have nearly killed my son.”
More information and video were given to her. She was still looking it all over when a man wheeled into the office. She recognized him as James Rhodes, her son’s Rhodey.
“Colonel, I’m happy to finally have the chance to meet the one that has protected my son all these years.”
Hela stood to greet the man she recalled hearing of but had never met during her mortal years.
“Friday updated me when I arrived. You saved Tony’s life?”
“Of course, now that I have returned none shall ever harm my son in such a way again.”
Rhodey stared at her for a long moment before he nodded.
“Alright, so don’t suppose you’ve got some healing magic left. My legs are shot to hell and it’s hard to watch his back when I can’t even walk.”
Hela approached the mortal more than happy to aid his recovery so he could continue to watch over her son.
“I can do more than simply heal your legs. If you allow it I shall grant you power beyond what your mortal body could ever possess. You shall become as immortal as myself and my son for as long as my bloodline exists. You will become the first of my Knights of Hel.”
“Whatever gets me out of this chair and at Tony’s side so we can make Rogers and his group face what they’ve done.”
Hela lifted the mortal from his chair and allowed her magic to wash over him and imprint on him. He would be her knight with his power drawn from the realm of the dead. She would train him in the ways of Asgard. He was already a loyal and honorable warrior but she would strengthen his abilities and grant him the knowledge of fighting styles beyond mortal imagination.
When she pulled away he was able to stand on his own looking like he’d stepped right out of his MIT days. He looked at himself shocked before his gaze turned to her.
“So what else comes with this upgrade?”
“In time I shall explain. For now I require assistance to further understand what has transpired in the years my son has been associated with these Avengers.”
With his and Vision’s help she learns of the years the Avengers were together and the damage they had done both to the world and to her son. Though much of the footage was from when JARVIS was around, Friday had access to quite a bit of it. Hela listened as Rhodey explained who and what JARVIS had been.
“I wish to see this JARVIS’s core.”
Rhodey hesitated but he did as she asked. JARVIS like the others her son created each held a soul within them. Though she was the goddess of death her power lie in both ending lives as restoring them. It was taxing on her body to use so much magic but she was happy to do so for her son. Touching the core of what was her grandson she allowed her magic to pull his soul from Hel. It was a soul that felt different from others. It was well cared for and felt warm in a way a pure untainted soul did. All souls were tainted at some point. Reality of the living caught up with them. Sins tainting their soul making them feel colder as the years passed. This soul was not tainted and she had to wonder if all that her son created was like this.
Once the soul was being drawn towards the living world she glanced at Vision to aid in the creation of a vessel for the soul. She understood that JARVIS did not possess a body of his own so she intended to mend this. Crafting a body was not so hard; it was like creating a construct. With her power she could create a permanent body that would last so long as it spent time meditating to replenish its magic supply. She heard a gasp from Rhodey but she didn’t acknowledge him as she focused on placing JARVIS’s soul within the body she created for him.
Eyes opened to reveal blue eyes that glowed with the magic that flowed through his body. His short hair was white in color and his body pale in color much like her own. His body covered in a fitted suit and when he stood he was 6’3 just like Vision. Their appearances were similar as Hela had been aiming for a twin like appearance between the two knowing both owed their existence to Tony.
JARVIS looked at his hands confused for a moment before he looked up to see Rhodey and Vision.
“I was not simply offline…”
“You had died some time ago. I restored you but in a body of your own.”
JARVIS looked at the flesh body he had looking curious at it.
“I see, I appreciate it but I would like to check on Sir if at all possible.”
“He’s currently resting but I’m quite certain he’ll be eager to see you when he wakes.”
JARVIS nodded while Rhodey stepped closer looking in awe at the restored AI.
“JARVIS is that really you?”
“Indeed Colonel Rhodes.” He said looking at Rhodey before he crooked his head to the side slightly. “My scans show you are different though I cannot identify why other than your younger appearance.”
“Hela changed me; I’m a Knight of Hel now.”
“Just as JARVIS is. In restoring him I have granted him both physical and magical strength. Now I must rest for restoring the dead is one of the few tasks that may drain me.”
“Ms. Hela allow me to lead you to one of the guest rooms.” Vision offered.
“Thank you Vision, but please call me just Hela. You are family so there is no need for such formality.”
While Vision led her to a guest room Rhodey looked at JARVIS still amazed the AI had not only been restored but given what appeared to be a human body.