Asgardian Twilight

Redefining What's Possible

The woman's appearance, at first enshrouded in shadow, was now exposed to the light of day. She was tall, easily as tall as Thor, but slender, and her body was clothed in a form-fitting suit of black and green. She moved with a frightful grace and poise and her posture conveyed something predatory. Indeed, her eyes held a vicious sort of hunger within them. Her night-black hair hung loosely to her shoulders, adding to the ferocity of her. She smiled wolf-like at Thor and Loki and then regarded her surroundings. "So," she said in a tired voice. "He's gone then?"

The nonchalance with which she spoke put Thor off. His father had just died before his eyes and the disrespect this person was showing invoked a seething rage within him.

"What a shame," she continued. "I would've liked to have seen that. Was it violent? Did he suffer? Oh, I hope he did."

Tension continued to build and Thor, despite his growing anger, decided an attempt at diplomacy would be the best approach- for now. "You must be Hela.   I'm Thor, son of Odin." His voice sounded weary, even to him.

Hela chuckled and looked amused. "Really, you don't look like him.

Loki, sensing Thor's approach of diplomacy, opted to take it a step further. "Perhaps we can reach an arrangement?"

Hela raised a finger and pointed at him as she nodded her head. "You sound like him."

Nerves seized Thor and Loki. The harsh edge to her voice was enough evidence they needed to know that this would not go as they would have hoped.

"Kneel," Hela commaned.

Loki scowled. How odd it was to be on the other end of such a command. "I beg your pardon?" he asked indignantly.

Hela extended her arm out to her side and a dark blade shot out from her hand- long, sharp, and cruel. "Kneel," she repeated as if she were speaking to someone who didn't understand language. "Before your Queen?"

Thor felt that simmering anger within rising up. "Enough of this," he growled as he drew Mjolnir back.

Hela smiled. "This should be amusing," she commented.

Thor threw Mjolnir at her, aiming for her face, and watched as Hela lifted a hand to intercept it. The hammer smacked into her palm and stopped moving as if it were frozen. Shock took Thor and he reached out, attempting to beckon Mjolnir back to his hand. The hammer simply trembled and remained pressed against Hela's palm, caught between Thor's commands and her terrifying and unexpected control over it . She tilted her head so she could look around the hammer and smile at them.

"It's not possible," Thor gasped, hating the dismay in his voice. He would never seek to give the enemy this sort of advantage, but so much had happened in such a short span of time and he was emotionally exhausted.

"Darling," Hela spoke as if coddling a child. "You have no idea what's possible."

Mjolnir trembled for a heartbeat longer and then began to crack. Thor's eyes widened as, in a sudden wave of energy, the hammer shattered. He watched in a daze as fragments of the hammer fell to the grass. His weapon, a symbol of his power, was no more. Reduced to rubble before his eyes.

Hela began to advance upon them, very slowly and cat-like. "Did the old man never tell you about me? It sounds like something he would do. Unfortunate for you two. Had you known of me you might have stood some sort of chance."

Thor scowled as his eyes moved from the broken hammer to Hela. "How did that happen?" he demanded.

"Mjolnir and I have a little history. Besides, there's no weapon forged, magic or otherwise, that can stop me. And now that the old fool is finally gone, nothing will keep me from having my prize." She walked forward, stepping over the remains of Mjolnir as if it were mere trash. A headdress of sharp edges, terrifying and menacing, appeared on her crown and she drew yet another blade in her other hand. "Now, don't be afraid of me. Death is a part of life. There is no fear to be had so long as you submit to my will. Give in, and give up. There is peace in surrender...brothers."