EVERMORE ─ marvel ⁷

VIII. The Might Of Muspelheim

Chapter Eight
Zy'aire

Livy. The babies. For several moments that was all I could think about. The image of her sitting in our bedroom, her water broken, panic coursing through her, made me forget about the battle that would start any moment. It was just her, her face, our children, and the knowledge that soon I would be a father.

And then the ships appeared. Dozens of them, flanked by creatures straight from hell and dragons right out of fairytales. They couldn't get through the barrier, they tried their damndest to. But I realized as I watched the Kree and Vanir open fire on the barrier, and the dragons and fire creatures burn it with hellfire, that the barrier may be strong, but it won't hold them off forever, and we can't just wait for it to finally break. I ordered one of the barrier's sections to be opened up, just one, and that's when everything changed.

This isn't like the last battle we fought. Last time, the world erupted in dust and smoke, the sky was lit only by the laser blasts of Kree ships, and the ground was a Pollock painting of blue and red blood. Now the Kree only make up maybe a quarter of the forces fighting. Vanaheim's forces make up maybe two quarters. Most of the forces are from Muspelheim. There's no dust and smoke, no colorful lasers lighting the sky, no blood caking the ground. There's only fire. In the streets, the fields, the forest, the homes, the buildings. All of it is burning. Wakanda is burning.

Uncle Khari and I have taken shelter in the debris of a burnt down house. We had been fighting off Kree soldiers when one of the dragons appeared and has been scorching the street ever since. Only a few of our soldiers made it to shelter in time. Most are dead. We didn't even hear their screams as they died, the fire killed them before they even knew what was happening. I guess that's a mercy at least. They didn't have to feel their skin melting off their bones, their bodies become nothing more than ash.

These dragons are tearing up the city. Wanda has been trying her best to deal with them, as have the Masters of the Mystic Arts, but they're far too strong. I would call for reinforcements, but there's none to call. All our forces are spread thin as it is between here, Alfheim, and Jotunheim, and we didn't have enough time to gather up all of Earth's armies to fight Njord's lackies. It would take them hours to get themselves ready and make the trip here. And we may not have hours. We just have to fight and hope Naomi and Kieran's coups will be successful.

"Jo, how's Livy? How are my sons?" I ask into my beads.

"All three are fine. Aunt Shuri and Ana have started the c-section, everything is going smoothly."

"Do you have a shield up?"

"I have a forcefield around the entire room, but it hasn't been needed yet. We're underground, those bastards are only concerned with you guys on the surface."

"Keep me updated, Jo. I mean it, I want you to tell me what's going on every five minutes."

"Roger that, sir." She says, giving me a mocking soldier impression. I would find it amusing if I wasn't two seconds away from being melted.

"Have you heard from the others yet? Anyone?" Uncle Khari asks, wiping sweat from his brow. I don't know why he even bothers, both of us are drowning in it from the fire's heat.

"A brief message from Uncle Alex and Uncle Bucky. Alfheim and Jotunheim are under attack too. Nothing from Vanaheim or Hala."

He places his hand on my shoulder, pressing his forehead against mine. "Give it time. Naomi and the others will stop this."

For all our sakes, I hope so.

-

Liam