Eternity | T.J.

Does No One Here Realize Loki Is Free?

     No one bothered to mention that meals at Valhalla were already free. Instead, all twelve of us ( plus Mjolnir) somehow managed to fit into Thor's chariot and headed back to the hotel.

     The thanes threw a feast in our honor for whatever reason, and most of the einherji, as well as Thor and quite a few Thanes, were celebrating, while those of us who understood the situation more deeply sulked in the corner.

     Later, after Vidar had left ( Heimdal had gone back to the Bifrost ages ago), Halfborn, Mallory, and T.J. headed to a party of some sort, and the rest of us were going to head up to floor nineteen, Helgi stopped us.

     " You and your friends need to come with me."

     We followed him down a number of hallways and up a bunch of staircases ( most of which I had no idea existed, and I had no idea how we were supposed to find our way back) before eventually arriving at a game labeled MANAGER.

     " Sit," Helgi told us, ushering us towards the chairs.

     " Sir," Sam began." What happened in Loki's cave, it wasn't my friend's fault. I take full responsibility-"

     " The Helheim you do!" Alex cut in." Sam did nothing wrong, if you're going to punish anyone-!"

     " Stop!" Helgi interrupted." No one is getting punished."

     Blitz let out a sigh of relief." Well, that's good, because we didn't have time to return this to Thor, but honestly, we meant to."

     Hearth handed the hotel manager Thor's hall pass.

     Helgi simply frowned before putting it in a drawer in his desk." You are here," he continued." Because Odin's ravens asked for you."

     " Huginn and Muninn?" Magnus asked.

     " Odin would be here," Helgi explained," but he is tending to other matters. Huginn and Muninn represent him. As a bonus, the Ravens don't show motivational PowerPoints. Now, down to business. Loki has escaped, but we know where he is. Samirah Al-Abbas, your next mission as Odin's Valkyrie in charge of special operations will be to find your father and put him back in chains."

     Sam bowed her head." Sir, I will do as I'm ordered, but after what happened the last two times I faced my father, the ease with which he controlled me-"

     " You can learn to fight it!" Alex assured her." I can help-"

     " I'm not you, Alex! I can't..."

     " Samirah," Helgi said." I didn't say it would be easy, but the ravens say you can do it. You must do it. And so you shall."

     Sam didn't respond for a minute, starring at the newtons cradle on Helgi's desk, before eventually speaking." This place where my father went... where is it?"

     " The Eastern Shores. Just as the old stories say. Now that Loki is free, he has gone to the docks, where he hopes to complete construction of Naglafar.

     The Ship of Nails. Hearthstone signed. That is not good.

     " If Loki is free, is it already too late?" Magnus asked." Isn't his unbinding one of the things that signals the beginning of Ragnarok."

     " Yes and No."

     We sat in silence for a second as we waited for him to elaborate. Eventually, I spoke up." Unfortunately, I believe that we need a bit more of an explanation than that."

     " The unbinding of Loki does help start Ragnarok, but nothing says this escape is his last and final escape," Helgi explained." It's conceivable you could recapture him and put him back, thus postponing Doomsday."

     " Like we did with doomsday. That was a piece of cake," Blitz said.

     " Exactly. Cake."

     " I was being sarcastic," Blitzen stated." I suppose they don't have sarcasm in Valhalla any more than they have decent barbers."

     " See here, dwarf-"

     He was cut off from answering by something big and brown hitting the window.

     Immidiately, Blitzen fell off his chair, Alex turned into a sugar glider and clung to the ceiling, Sam and I both grabbed our weapons, and Magnus hid next to Helgi's desk. Hearthstone simply signed Why?

     " It's all right everyone," Helgi said." It's just Ratotosk."

     We all stared at him like he was insane.

     " No, really," he claimed." The window is soundproof and squirrel proof. The beast just likes to stop by and taunt me some times."

     " How do you stand it!?" Blitz asked him." That- that thing is deadly!"

     " I'd rather know where he is than not," Helgi pointed out." Sometimes I can tell what's going on in the Nine Worlds just by observing the squirrel's level of agitation."

     Helgi, thankfully, got up and lowered the blinds before sitting down and addressing us again.

     " Where were we? Ah, yes, cake and sarcasm."

     With the threat mostly gone, I put away my sword as Alex got down from the ceiling.

     " Helgi," Sam spoke, lowering her ax." About this mission. I wouldn't know where to start. Where is the ship docked? The Eastern Shores could be on any world."

     " I don't have those answers, Samirah," Helgi replied." But Huginn and Muninn will brief you privately. Go with them to the high placed of Valhalla. Let them show you thoughts and memories."

     " But, Helgi-"

     " There can be no debate," he cut her off." Odin chose you. He has chosen this entire group because-" Apparently, someone was contacting him because he put a hand to his ear for a moment before turning back to us." Apologies, where was I? Ah, yes, all six of you were present when Loki escaped. Therefore, all six of you will have a part to play in recapturing the outlaw god."

     " We broke it, we bought it," Magnus said.

      " Exactly! Now that that's all settled, you'll have to excuse me. There's been a massacre in the yoga studio and they need clean mats."

A/N: And we're finally done with The Hammer of Thor, now the only book that remains is my favorite one, The Ship of The Dead. Sorry for not updating recently, there's been some family stuff going on that's been taking up my time, but I should be back on schedule this week, apart from Saturday, which I plan on being my mental health day. I hope at least someone somewhat enjoyed this chapter, any to all comments from anyone about anything make my day, and just keep in mind the world is your erster.