Ragnarök (CANCELLED)

Nightmare

Raven

My dream begins with blood, so much blood. It pools on the floor, sprays onto the walls and covers my siblings.

Shackles restrain my legs and arms to a metal chair keeping me stuck in place. Blue, icy fingers squeeze under my chin hindering me from looking away. "All you have to do is tell us where the Infinity Stones are, Raventium. It will save us time and your siblings the pain. Won't you tell me", an icy female voice says. The voice of the queen of Jotunheim and my enemy. Lilith.

I jerk my head free of her grasp and strain against the shackles. Lilith pulls her hand back and hits me across the face. Pain flares across my left cheek and my chair careens to the side. Lilith rights the chair and grips my shoulders. Her fingernails slice into my skin as she looks at me. Her blood red eyes stare into mine and she smiles showing a row of perfectly white teeth. I try to shake her off but she holds firm.

"Aren't you feisty", she hisses, "That's going to cost one of your siblings" She lets go of my shoulders and walks over to where my brother, Hunter and sister, Carla lie. Their blood flows across the dark blue floor to crystallize. Carla sobs quietly on the floor while Hunter tries to shield her from the many blows Lilith's fellow frost giants are inflicting on them.

I seethe with anger and feel my energy pounding through my veins. I cast my thoughts out and feel their fear and pain. Their emotions swirle around my head. Terror. Hopelessness. Thoughts of wanting their pain to end. All of this my fault because I won't tell them.

Lilith rips Carla away from Hunter and pulls her to her feet. Carla legs give out and she sinks to the floor sobbing. "Get up!" Lilith screams at her. Carla stays on the floor. Lilith motions for two frost giants to come over. They grasp Carla's arms and yank her upwards. Lilith's arm glows blue and elongates into a long shaft of blue ice. The ice shifts and turns into a sharp point. No, no! Not them!

"Please!" I scream, "Don't do this!"

"You tried my patience", she says turning to look at me, "And I'm just returning the favour" She whips around and thrusts the ice straight through Carla's heart.

"No!" I scream. Carla's body crumples to the floor and glows a bright purple colour. The glow fades leaving nothing but the empty corpse of my sister behind.

Hunter fires curses at Lilith but she ignores him oping to send a triumphant smile my way. He stumbles to his feet and charges at her. Lilith has a murderous twinkle in her eyes and her shaft of ice ready. "Hunter, stop!" Realism flashes across his face but momentum keeps him going.

Lilith slashes out and Hunter falls to the floor. His life spurts between his fingers. Seconds later, Hunter drowns in his own blood.

"No!" I rattle and strain against the shackles. Hatred burns like wildfire through my veins. My hands shake and threaten to explode with golden light. The shackles give somewhat but don't come free. I sink against my chair and choke back a sob. Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. I hold them back. I will not give Lilith or anyone the pleasure of watching me cry.

"Raven!" What? Who? I look up and the wall explodes Green light floods the room. Damian's figure casts a shadow over the room. My heart nearly explodes with hope. Lilith is just confused as Hel.

His pale skin is bruised badly and cut in several places. His usually brown hair is covered in a thin layer of ice making him look much older than he actually is. Black armour coveres him from head to toe and in his right hand he carries a long black sword with an emerald set into the hilt.

The frost giants charge him but he dispatches them all with a sweep of his sword. Lilith's face contortes in pure hatred and she charges as well. The second she gets within ten feet of him, a blast of green light comes from his hand and hits her square in the chest. Lilith flies across the room and to smash into a wall. She slides to the ground and lies in a heap on the floor all the while screaming insults at Damian. He sprints to me and tries to hold back tears. With four slices of his sword the shackles come free and we run.

*****

I bolt upright, my breath comes out in ragged gasps that burn the inside of my throat. Sweat drips down my back and the scarlet covers on my bed stick to my skin. I kick them off. My usual glove clad hands glow a golden colour lighting the whole room up. My breathing speeds up and hitches in my throat. Calm done Raven, calm done. Just a nightmare. Just another nightmare. My glowing hands dim and slowly the glow fades away to a light glimmer. Nightmares tend to increase my energy and chip away at my self control.

I stagger out of bed and make my way across the carpeted floor. I breathe a sigh as my feet connect with the cold tiles of the bathroom. Gripping the edge of the counter, I look at what the nightmare has done to me.

My brown hair is plastered to my forehead, my skin is paled. I inhale deeply through my nose and exhale. My breathing slows to its normal rate and I turn on the tap. A splash of water is a relief to my burning face.

I gaze hesitantly back into the mirror. My eyes stare back like a hole in the head. As pure as Asgardian gold, they swirl with light and power. Contacts keep them hidden throughout the day from all. Only the most ancient of the universe's people would know what they ware and to fear the girl with them.

Earth is a very excepting place but golden eyes such as mine will never be excepted.

I walk back to bed and pause in front of my nightstand table. A small framed photograph of my five siblings and I sits on the polished wood. I trace their faces with my index finger. We were all siting around a campfire toasting marshmallows and goofing around. It wasn't an exceptional day or anything extraordinary. There weren't any battle victories. It was just a happy day, one of the happiest days I've ever had with my family. Tess took a vacation from her queenly duties for once and we all met so I could finally show them Earth. I had been raving about it for thousands of years and finally convinced them to see it. Aether shared my enthusiasm and later settled in Los Angeles. Damian, Carla, Hunter and Tess liked it well enough but preferred Nix and Eris.

The picture was taken on one of our good days. No hate, no fights, only love.

I hold back tears and drop my hand from the picture. I ease myself down on top of the sheets and close my eyes. Sleep folds around me like a warm blanket, hopefully no more nightmares will come with it.

"I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing,
Roman cavalry choirs are singing,
Be my mirror, my sword and shield,
My missionaries in a foreign field"

I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling. Who the hell is calling in the middle of the night?! Uhh. I rub my eyes and prop myself onto one elbow. Viva la Vida keeps playing from my iPhone. I almost don't pick it up, I love that song.

My good side gets the better of me. I roll over and grab the phone off the nightstand table. I swipe the screen and snap, "Hello!"

"Is that you, Raven?" The voice is smooth as butter with a faint accent. Aether.

"Of course it's me. What is so damn important that you have to call me at-" I check my phone, "-two in the morning!"

"Well, I'm sorry you lost some of your beauty sleep but we have bigger problems at the moment" He pauses, "There's been an earthquake"

"In Los Angeles?"

"Yeah, the quake levelled a block. Miraculously, there were only a few injuries"

This is what Aether woke me up for? "So, exactly why does this concern me?"

"Eye witnesses swore they saw a huge snake tail disappearing into a collapsed building"

"Oh my god" I whisper, "Jormundar"

"And where Jormundar is..."

"Ragnarök follows"