(2)The Avengers: The Goddess of the Sea

19

"We're in Times Square in New York City..." I trailed off.

People walked around us, staring as if we were the most interesting thing. In reality, we probably didn't stick out too bad compared to other people and things NYC saw every day. Then I realized we maybe did really stick out.

Not only were Freya and I in head to toe Norse battle armor, Eira was also dressed differently from a Midgard child. Her dress spilled around her with a little sword attached at her hip and a shield on her back. My trident shimmered under the glittering lights of NYC.

"Let's find some cover," Freya mumbled.

I quickly took my helmet off and straightened my hair. It was a little wind blown from the Bifrost travel. For the first time, I was slightly self conscious of my hair. In Asgard it wasn't uncommon to have long hair, but in Midgard, most women's hair didn't flow down to their thighs. Now was obviously not the time to worry.

With Eira still clutched in my arms, we followed Freya down an alley. Finally, I set Eira down, but she still clung to my dress. Looking up, I could see the skyscrapers and it gave me the worst case of homesickness.

"You miss this place, don't you?" Freya asked, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Yes. Immensely so."

"What if I told you you could go back?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "It would be different. Different family, life...occupation. In the grand scheme of things, my fate was the Avengers. If I come back some 50 decades later, all of that will be gone. Really, I just can't imagine a life without Peter Parker, Steve Rogers even Tony Stark."

"And if it didn't have to be different?"

I narrowed my eyes at the goddess of love. "What do you know?"

"This is going to come at, most likely, the demise of myself—"

"Then don't do what you're going to do!" I said, panicking.

Freya smiled at me. "My fate was chosen. I already made the decision."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm so sorry for all of this, but you needed the knowledge. This was far easier than pouring everything out in front of Loki. Although, it was quite the surprise when you managed to pull both Thor and Loki in with you."

"What in the nine worlds are you talking about?"

"This isn't real, my dear."

Those words had been spoken by a few before. As if because of her confirmation, my head began aching until it sent me to my knees. Vaguely, I was aware of Freya's hand on my shoulder and Eira's little arms wrapped as far around me as she could manage.

"My hold is breaking. We must do this quickly," Freya dropped her hand from my shoulder and sat down on the ground before me.

"What is going on?" I whimpered.

"Celestial, you need to listen to me carefully. Everything is going to change now and I need you to follow along."

It didn't even register she had called me Celestial. How was I to focus when my head was splitting in two.

"This is going to be painful," the goddess continued, "and for that I am terribly sorry. This is an illusion; one of my doing. This was done to show you what will happen if you die, Celestial. If you die, the world dies at the hands of Loki."

"Wha..." I trailed off. My brain was hazy, refusing to make sense of her words.

"Come on, snap out of it, girl."

She grabbed my shoulders and gave me a good shake and just like that, my head was fine; my episode completely over but leaving me sweating and shaking.

"Listen. We don't have much time. Loki could be listening right now."

"Okay. Just slow down, it's hard to concentrate right now. What is the last thing that was real?" I questioned.

"The last real thing was the top of the Avenger's headquarters when I gestured towards Hawkeye's bow. When we locked eyes is when I drug you in here."

"So all of that...the Hulk coming off the building with me, me dying? That was all a part of this illusion?"

"Yes. You needed to see what would happen if you died. Ultimately, it would end in Asgard with Loki blowing up the Bifrost and ending the world as we know it."

"What was the point?"

"I had to pull you into the illusion because I needed you to learn how to enchant the necklace again. I have the words, you have the power."

I shook my head. "You need to explain far better. This is just confusing me further I'm afraid."

Freya sighed. "I took you into this illusion where you were supposed to find Dvalin, the dwarf who created the ring."

"But you said he died," I pointed out, remembering what she told Tony and Steve before.

"I thought he had. I had no idea it was Dvalin you were going to see."

"So then what? What if it hadn't been him?"

"All I needed was you, Celestial. You were strong enough to absorb his power. Sure I have the words for the enchantment, but I needed the power. Had I tried visiting him, I'd have combusted on the spot.

"As I was saying, you were to search for him and obtain his power. Beautifully done I might add. Afterwards you were supposed to come to me and I would give the words and send you back. But the slight unforeseen problem with you bringing Loki and Thor with you sort of gummed the works."

"How did I manage that?"

Freya looked thoughtful. "That's my question as well..."

"How badly did it screw everything up?"

"In a normal illusion, one only has to control the people that are central to the story. For example, when you were in Folkvangr, all I had to do was keep the villagers alert and passable for reality. I didn't have to worry about anyone in Asgard or Jotunheim, just the people you were around.

"But I was surprised to see Thor with you when you paid me a visit. He wasn't supposed to be a part of the illusion at all. As I stated before, it was supposed to be a quick illusion. But instead I had to mentally keep dragging Thor and Loki back under my control. I think Loki caught on quickly, so who knows what all he managed to hear or understand.

"I didn't allow him any further access into my head than the illusion went, but boy is he trying. His little stunt he pulled of pulling you into another illusion should've killed you, not to mention it alerted him to my presence.

"Ignoring that terrifying fact, what do I have to learn?"

Freya opened her mouth to answer, but we were interrupted by a crackle of lightning.

"They're here," she gasped.