The Gates of Helheim

OK, How Did We Get Into This One?

   So, remember when I said we'd probably need to go to Helheim and checkout what those vortexes were. And remember how Baldur, son of Frigg and Oden, was trapped in Helheim until Ragnarok because Loki made his blind twin brother kill him with a mistletoe spear? Well, if you didn't, you do now!

   Sam was at school, most of floor 19 was in a seminar on how to sail (we needed it), and Alex, T.J., and I were having breakfast (to the death, obviously) when Hunding rushed in.

"Mister Chase!" He yelled between breaths, "Front. Desk. Please."

"What? Aren't we the ones who ask for that?" Alex said to Hunding.

"Sorry ma'am, but we need you all to go to the front desk."

"Why?" I asked.

"Hi Hunding!" T.J. exclaimed, coming back to the table. He had just left to get another omelette, and probably kill whoever took the last of the hard tack. "What's up?"

"He wants us to go to the front desk. Also it's sir." Luckily for Hunding, Alex was in a good mood today and only threatened him with his garrote. Strangely, he had left the fancy, gold one Sif gave him in his room and brought the older one.

"I'm sorry!" Hunding said in terror, "I can't say why here!"

"Why not?" Alex inquired.

"Ok, Hunding." I said, "Let's go."

"Maggy?" I hate that nickname, he knows that.

"It's probably important!" I retorted.

"Yeah, like the lack of hard tack." TJ said under his breath.

"It is!" Hunding insisted, so we followed him. When we got to the front desk, we were lead back into a conference room. That's when we saw Frigg standing with a concerned look in her eyes. Mallory and Halfborn were already sitting at the table and Sam had been pulled out of school and stood at the end of the table by Oden. I hate being the last to know about things like this.

"Magnus Chase," Frigg said, trying to sound calm, "what did you see on Loki's ship?"

"A lot of dead people, some giants, Loki why?"

"Did you see any vortexes or portals or voids open?"

I felt a chill go down my spine. "Yes." How did she know? "Why?"

"She thinks Baldur was trying to return," Oden interrupted, "I told her he wasn't coming back but..."

"Did you here any voices when you saw it? Preferably of people who have passed."

"Yes"

"I'm sorry, Magnus, she's just-"

"Shut it, Oden!" I had never heard anyone yell at the All Father like that. In fact, I was surprised Frigg was capable of snapping like that. "I need someone to go to Helheim."

"Mom!" Mallory exclaimed, "Don't tell my friends to go to Hel!" Alex laughed.

"Wait," Oden started, "you're her mother?"

"We will discuss it later, right now I need someone who can get into Helheim." That when we heard running feet enter the room.

"Sorry kid!" said Blitz, "We came as soon as we could." Hearth was behind him and signed sorry sunshine. That's when I realize Blitz was soaked in his charcoal gray suit, and Hearth had been crying. Blitz also was not wearing his sun protection.

"Oh my gods! Are you okay, Blitz?" I said, running over to them.

"Oh I'm fine." he replied, but Hearth put two fingertips over his thumb and rotated his hand left and right, the sign for no.

"Perfect!" Frigg shouted, "You won't be kicked out. Blitzen, I need you to go to Helhiem for me."

Hearth went pale. Blitz looked confused. I was furious. Not only was I pulled out of breakfast, but Frigg was trying to make my friend go to the land of the dishonored dead. I was ready to protest when Samirah finally spoke.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but Niflheim is not somewhere anyone should go alone. Neither is Helheim."

"That's why you're all here. With the exception of Hearth. Oden called him here for whatever reason." Frigg was panicking.

"Hearth knows runes better than any mortal. I don't want you sending my best warriors to Helheim unprotected!" Oden defended.

There was a long silence. Alex looked mad, but when doesn't he? Hearth was being filled in by Blitz. Mallory was ready to kill someone and Halfborn was holding her back. Sam was trying not to freak out and pulled her hijab over her face. Frigg was frustrated and wanted us to agree to go to Helheim. Oden had his face in his hand. Hunding had slipped out a while ago. TJ stood silently in the corner.

Then he spoke. "I'm in." Of corse a son of Tyr would agree to this.

Then one by one, we all agreed. Alex and Sam wanted to meet their sister, Hel. Blitz refused to let Hearth go, but Frigg gave him what she called a sun suit so he could stay in the sun, underground. Blitz agreed to go so he could watch Hearth. I agreed because Jack was buzzing with excitement and I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't go. Mallory agreed to go because she didn't trust us not to get ourselves killed. Halfborn agreed because he wanted to make sure Mallory didn't die.

And that's how we all found ourselves walking on the Bifrost. Blitz was nervous about Hearth being underground. Blitz had gotten proper sun protection, so he kept signing to Hearth about everything that could go wrong. Jack was zipping around everywhere, singing weird songs like "Cup of Life". That was one of his better songs. It took a long time, but we eventually got to the exit nearest Helheim. It dropped us right next to the gate.

We heard a flute. It was paying a really depressing song. "Not as much screaming as I thought," said Alex.

"I don't want to be here any longer than we have to," Blitz cut in as he tried to open the gate. The music stoped when he touched the gate. It was freezing cold and silent. Jack wasn't even talking! Then foot steps approached, varying in speed as if whoever was walking couldn't decide weather to walk or run. Blue fire lit in the torches as they sat in the wall sconces. The fire was also ice cold, but it let out enough light to allow us to see past the gate. The footsteps were at a full sprint, and a girl rounded the corner with the biggest smile on her face.

She stopped and frowned when she saw us. I would have been hurt, but she looked legitimately crushed, as of she expected someone she cared about to be at the door. "I'm sorry, we're closed for Ragnarok."

"Wait!" Sam shouted before she could turn around and leave, "We need to talk to Hel."

The girl turned and walked back to the gate. She looked 15, her eyes were denim blue and had dark circles under them. Her hair was orange with dark brown tips. She had hundreds of freckles. Her voice almost reminded me of both Loki's and Sif's, smooth and proud, but it was cracked with a tone that only comes from someone who had been crying. "What do you want with her?"

"That's not you're business! Where is Hel?" Mallory yelled.

"It is my business! All too much so, and hopefully not for much longer. Why do you need to speak with Hel?"

Alex cut into the argument in just above a whisper, "Iris?"

"Aunty Alex?" She, Iris, gasped.

"Its uncle right now, but yes. Can we come in?" Alex was speaking in such a calming tone. I almost didn't recognize him. Iris opened the gate and let us in.

I walked over to Alex and asked, "You know her?" To which he replied with a sharp, "Of course I know my own niece!" That's still my Alex! "Loki brought her to my school when he was chaperoning a field day. I was in kindergarten. She looked 3 years old at the time, but she had been alive for 7. This place made her age slowly, but she's been out more often since then. She spoke better than me and in more languages. She knew English, Spanish, French, Greek, Latin, and Norwegian because she heard all of those in Helheim."

I sensed that she switched back to female half way through that story. I would have said something, but we had all entered Helheim. It was completely empty. Ice incrusted the walls and snow covered the floor. The blue-ish white light from the torches seemed to do little more than make the hall cold.