Avengers Generations

Chapter 8

"Find her! Find her now!" Thor boomed at the palace guards. He roared in anguish and smashed his hammer, Mjölnir, into the floor. Thunder resounded in the throne room and the palace walls themselves shuddered.

"Thor, calm down." Jane said softly, putting a delicate hand on his arm. She was pale, and her eyes were red from crying.

Thor's heart melted as he looked at his wife. She was beautiful - the work of a master craftsman. Einmyria had received her unsurpassed beauty from her mother... Beauty that may no longer exist. The king sank to the floor and wept bitterly. Jane kneeled next to her husband.

"I have never known you to cry, Brother."

Jane suddenly stood as her eyes darted to the entryway. Thor too stood up, and summoned his hammer to his hand.

"You are banned from entering these grounds, Loki." Thor said, holding an arm up to shield his wife from whatever treachery the outcast had brought.

"Thor," Loki said, with an unusual lack of distain "My son, Fenrir, has also gone." It wasn't like him to speak so blatantly - without any unneeded words or swaying compliments.

Loki stood in the middle of the room - vulnerable and helpless. He wore no crown or armor, nor did he stand with any pride. Thor could tell his brother's spirit had been broken, but it could have been a trick.

"Do you know where they have gone?" Thor said, after a moment of silence.

"I do not." Loki said, holding out his hands "But there was one granted with All Wisdom who may be able to aid us in the search."

"Odin-" Jane gasped fearfully "But he's dead! You can't bring him back from Valhalla - can you?"

There was another period of silence as Thor looked gravely at the two of them. He slowly shook his head.

"But we must try." Loki said, forcefully.

"No, Brother." Thor said "It cannot be done."

"But..." Loki said, coming nearer to the king. Thor saw tears in his eyes as he approached, and Loki's arms opening pathetically.

"But we must try..."

The two brothers embraced, comforting each other - each recognizing that no matter what had happened in the past, they needed each other now.

Jane took a step toward them, but stopped as two ravens flew through a window and sat on the throne. She jumped, and looked at them with a distracted curiosity - no animals ever entered the palace without being permitted.

"...Thor?" Jane said, watching the black birds, which were apparently watching her as well.

Thor turned to look at her, and followed her gaze to the birds.

"It cannot be..." Loki said.

Thor let go of his brother, keeping a hand on his shoulder. He hesitated, then walked slowly toward the throne. The ravens made no move, but patiently waited as they were approached. Thor stepped nearer and nearer, trembling slightly. Then, as he stood before the birds, he dropped to one knee.

"Odin."

Jane looked puzzled, and glanced toward Loki for an explanation.

"Thought and Memory." Loki said quietly, catching her glance "When Father traded his eye for All Wisdom, he received the two ravens. They fly everywhere, telling Odin all that is remembered, all that is, and all that happens. Sometimes even what will yet be."

The Lady Jane looked incredulously at Thought and Memory.

"Can they talk?" She asked.

"What?" Said Loki, furrowing his brow "Of course not - they're birds."

Jane blushed slightly. She still didn't understand Magic - it wasn't like science on Earth, it seemed wild and un-orderly.

The two ravens beat their wings and flew out the doorway of the throne room. Thor followed quickly after them, Mjölnir in hand.

"Come!" He said to Loki and Jane "I have asked them to guide us to the children."

"But they're just birds!" Jane said, picking up her skirt to run better "They can't understand you!"

Thor and Loki glanced at her confused as they ran, and the latter shook his head.

"They're Thought and Memory." Thor said "They're not just any birds!"

Jane exhaled through her teeth with distain.

"Magic..."


Thought and Memory saw nearly all that happened in Nine Realms - only the faintest whisper could escape their knowing. They knew Hrimthurs was growing stronger, but they could tell no one. Besides, they thought it could be a very interesting thing to watch. They knew well that while they were leading the three royals, Hrimthurs was moving.

The standing stone rumbled with the force. The horses that stood around it whinnied and pawed the ground at the sound, but stood still again as the stone's voice soothed them in their minds.

A sharp dagger of rock shot out of the stone with a sharp crashing. The horses screeched and reared back, the whites of their eyes showing their terror. Another dagger shot out, and took the form of an arm. Slowly, the shape of a giant formed, and the pale grey stone turned blue. Hrimthurs turned to the descendants of his long-dead horse, and smiled victoriously.

"Come." He said proudly "Let us pay our respects to the King of Asgard."

He turned and walked toward the palace, unaware that he would find no king there.


"Heimdall?" Thor questioned, as the three neared the bifröst. The ravens sat atop the sphere-shaped structure, seemingly content with their service.

"So they left Asgard..." Jane said, concerned.

"But where have they gone?" Thor asked with a rumble of anger.

"Heimdall will know." Said Loki as they reached the portal.

The three walked in to confront the gatekeeper, but were aghast at what they found.

Jane screamed as they entered, and put her hands over her mouth with horror. Bodies lay everywhere, blood coated the floor and splashes of it creeped up the walls.

The brothers gaped uncomprehendingly at the massacre. They walked solemnly amongst the fallen, trying to find a face they knew.

"Thor..." Loki held up the helmet of Heimdall, still dripping with blood.

Thor roared at the ceiling in anguish. Heimdall was a good man who had saved his life many a time.

"He died a hero, Brother." Loki said "He will be with Father in Valhalla today."

Thor nodded.

"These are all Asgardians..." He said, noting the bodies.

"Who would do this?" Whimpered Jane from the entrance. Then she gasped "Not Fenrir! Or... or Einmyria..." She suddenly got very quiet.

"My son would never do anything like this." Loki said assuringly.

"Nor our daughter." Put in Thor "They did not run away, they were taken."

"How do you know?" Jane asked.

Thor looked at Loki.

"Your husband speaks the truth, Jane." Loki said "There is no way this is the children's doing."

Jane nodded, though she did not understand. She knew this may have been more magic, and she didn't want to try to understand it.

The brothers, however, were seeing more and more signs that what they had told Jane was false. Who would attack the gatekeeper at the price of their own lives, unless ordered to by the princess? And a few injuries shockingly resembled claw marks, though Fenrir must have been very serious to have taken on that form, his father thought.

"Well" observed Loki, looking at Heimdall's sword "Whoever is responsible for this obviously wanted to get somewhere."

"We must follow Einmyria and Fenrir." Thor said climbing the steps to the sword.

"But where are they?" Jane asked.

"In one of the eight other realms." Thor said, matter-of-factly "We will have to search them all."

"But," said Loki, raising a finger "If we go to one realm, Heimdall cannot bring us back."

Thor nodded, realizing the problem.

"I will stay."

The brothers turned toward Jane, who stood straight and tall.

"I will open the bifröst. You can command Thought and Memory to tell me when to open the portal."

"I cannot leave you," Thor said "Look around - what if this is not the end of the slaughter?"

"Thor," Jane said "We have no choice. One of us has to stay, and you won't trust him."

Loki pursed his lips, and said nothing.

Thor sighed as Jane stepped up to the sword.

"You promised me once that you would come back for me." She said "Now I promise that I will bring you back."

Thor nodded, and kissed his wife's hand tenderly.

"I will hold you to that." He said.

"He loves you." Loki said to the queen as Thor stepped out to confront Thought and Memory.

"I know." Jane said "I love him too."

Thor walked back in with the ravens flying behind him. They flew to Jane, and landed on her shoulders.

"Now, my love." Thor said.

"Where to?" She asked, placing her hands on the sword's hilt.

Thor looked at Loki.

"Where to, Brother?" He asked.

Loki looked surprised at the act of trust, and blinked his eyes as he thought.

"Ah... Jotunheim." He said, after a moment.

Thor nodded solemnly at Jane, and smiled adventurously. She pushed the sword down, and heaved to turn it.

"I love y-" she heard as the two disappeared through the portal. She closed it after a few minutes, and lifted the sword out. Every sound echoed in that room. Jane turned around, looking at the dead bodies in the silence.

"I guess it's just the three of us now." She said to Thought and Memory, who were still perched on her shoulders "And... you don't talk."