Sacrifice - Hela Odinson

#6 - The Arrival

"Heimdall, open the Bifrost!"

A bright, flashy light blinded me for several moments, then suddenly the ground disappeared from underneath my feet. I felt like I was being sucked into the void by a giant vacuum cleaner. I couldn't tell which way was up and down, hell, I couldn't even tell if I was alive or not.

Remember how Otto's comments made me literally nauseous? Well, that sick feeling in my stomach didn't go away, it was there, ready to strike. About halfway through the Bifrost I threw up.

Pat has a dog, so she always carries plastic bags around to pick up dog poop. She had some in her pocket, and when I gagged, she handed me one without hesitation. At least I didn't vomit on Hela. That would've been awkward.

The wild ride ended a few seconds after I was done puking my guts out, and I landed on the cold, hard ground, on my back. I hit my head a little, and my vision faded for a second, but I didn't pass out, thank gods. (I said a quick thank you to Fortuna in my head.)

Hela landed a few feet away from me, and of course she didn't fall, she stood there majestically like the damm Statue of Liberty. And I mean the American one, not that ridiculous thing in Budapest, which is like a lady holding up a feather (?) and has the same name.

I noticed two things missing: my backpack and my friend/daughter. Oh, and the plastic bag full of vomit, but I didn't really miss that, to be honest.

Heimdall greeted Hela with a nod. I thought he was supposed to be dead as well, but I had more important questions.

"Excuse me, where's my-" before I could finish the sentence, my backpack (which had at least seven books in it) landed on my head. I fell back on the ground, but miraculously I still didn't pass out.

I was about to ask "and Pat?", when she arrived too. She landed right on top of me. I hit my head again.

This time I did pass out.

When I woke up, the first thing I heard was cussing. For a moment I thought I was at home, but it was actually... Heimdall?

I sat up, and looked around. Judging by the scenario, I was only out for a minute or two, and the vomit bag had arrived while I was unconscious. It landed on poor Heimdall's head, hence the cussing. Hela tried to frown, but she couldn't hide her amusement, I could see that smirk on her face. Pat was straight up laughing.

I was about to apologise, then I realised Heimdall has probably no idea whose vomit it was, so better keep my mouth shut and let someone else take the blame. It could've been a stupid prank from anyone who has access to the Bifrost.

I quickly wiped my mouth and snatched some toothpaste from Pat's bag to get rid of my bad breath, a.k.a. the evidence, while everyone else was focused on Heimdall's rage. Pat shamelessly filmed him with her phone.

We made a good first impression, didn't we?

Hela walked over to us. She rolled her eyes, but she helped me up, and didn't let go of my hand afterwards. Her long, slim, cold fingers interlocked with mine, holding them tightly, like a snake wrapping its body around its prey. My heart skipped a beat. Her presence definitely had an effect on me.

She kept me close to her as we stepped on the Rainbow Bridge. Below us there was nothing but infinite darkness, but at the other end of the bridge, a golden city awaited.

The air was fresh, the sky was clear, and millions of stars glimmered above us in the dark sky. Street lamps and lights emerging from the windows responded to their calling from below, shining back at them, but nothing could shine as bright as Hela's cold, grey eyes.

I could feel her presence becoming more and more powerful with each passing second. The endless magic only grew in her since we had arrived. As much as I loved being close to her, I feared the power she held.

"You forgot your backpack!" Pat hurried after us, with two bags in hand, hers and mine. She lifted her left arm, the one holding my backpack.

"Wait don't-" I was cut off by the heavy bag hitting me right in the chest and knocking me over. Maybe I shouldn't have packed this many books.

Haha, sike. I wouldn't leave them behind if my life depended on it.

Well, right now my life did depend on it, because I was standing very close to the edge when the backpack hit me and I fell over like those bowling dummies at a full strike.

My life started to flash in front of my eyes, but it only got to the part when I ate a whole pen in fifth grade, because I was interrupted. Hela was still holding my hand, and with a strong pull she put me back in position, helping me regain my balance. She even caught the backpack.

"Watch your step. Both of you." she said with a displeased frown.

Something grumbled down, in the pitch black depths of whatever was under the Bridge.

"What's down there?" I asked curiously.

"Yggdrasil." Hela responded as if that were the stupidest question in history. (Great, she's acting like my teachers now.)

"What's an eggdrasil?" I whispered to Pat.

"Yggdrasil. A big ass snake." she informed me. I didn't actually expect an answer when I asked.

"Wait, what? Since when are you so smart?" I grimaced.

"I research stuff like that instead of studying." Pat shrugged. "Mythology is interesting."

We didn't have time for further discussion, because Hela started to drag me further. She gave me my bag back (I was kinda hoping she would forget and carry it for me, but whatever), and the extra weight slowed me down so much I could barely keep up with her.

"You and your daughter will be living in my palace. It is isolated and away from the city centre. Most of the time you will not meet any people." Hela listed the basics.

"Yes!" Pat and I exclaimed at the same time.

My fiancée didn't look pleased by our attitude.

"We meant that it sounds appealing." I added in a more pretentious tone. "I mean, the palace. And the 'no people' part."

Hela didn't bat an eye, she just moved on to the next point she wanted to make.

"The reason for that is the number of my enemies."

"Yikes." Pat shuddered.

"As long as you pretend to be imbeciles and do not mess around, you will most likely not be assassinated." Hela added in a more calming tone.

"Most likely?" I mumbled.

"Darling, everything is possible." Hela chuckled in a dark, off-putting way.

Damn, that was hot.

Come on, Mel, stop simping, she is talking about her enemies who might want you dead!

She's still too hot.

I'm too deeply in love to be scared.

Unlike mine, Pat's survival instincts were still intact. She leaned close to my ear and whispered:

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea..."

For a moment, the butterflies in my stomach calmed down and I saw things as they were. And they were shitty.

I was engaged to a goddess and I meant nothing to her. She has countless enemies who wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I got in their way. And the cherry on top: I put Pat in the same danger.

Maybe it really wasn't.

"But there's no turning back now, is there?" I whispered back.