The Girl Who Had the Universe in her Eyes | marvel [2] ✔

TWO

CHAPTER TWO
' THIS IS VERY NOT GOOD. '

Ash landed on the soft grass and turned to take in her surroundings. The saltwater brushed her face, and the sharp wind shot through her. She didn't acknowledge Loki, laying face down at her feet, and moved towards the edge. The sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs filled the vast area, and the grass underneath them danced in the slight breeze. Ash glanced around, and a quiet singing voice flowed with the wind. She took in a deep breath, sensing familiarity with it.

"Father?" Thor's voice broke through the silence. A lone figure stood at the cliff's edge, a few distances away from Ash. She watched as Thor and Loki quickly approached him.

"Look at this place. It's beautiful," Odin spoke, looking out over the endless water.

"Father, it's us," Thor reminded quietly.

He turned. "My sons. I've been waiting for you."

"I know. We've come to take you home." Thor glanced at Loki and then Ash.

"Home, yes." Odin's voice was quiet and almost whimsical. "Your mother, she calls me. Do you hear it?"

Thor shot a warning glance at Loki, who held his hands up in defence. "Loki, lift your magic."

"No, Thor, there is no magic," Ash denied before she followed the breeze with her eyes.

"Can you hear it too?"

Odin directed the question at her, and Ash nodded sadly.

He shifted to Loki, who stiffened, but he only smiled. "Took me quite a while to break free from your spell. Frigga would have been proud."

Odin put a hand on Thor's shoulder, seeming to calm him. "Come and sit with me. I don't have much time." The old man sat on a rock, his sons sitting on the rock near him, but Ash stayed where she was, staring out over the water.

She felt resentment form in her chest, and she slowly brought a hand to touch it. Thor got to say goodbye to his father. Ash could have, but he tore her away from her home. She clenched her jaw and looked at the ground. If Thor hadn't prevented her, Ash could have been before Ben died and helped arrange his funeral afterwards. She could have been there for May and Peter.

Ash shook her head. She had said goodbye, she could have been there for May and Peter, but she galivanted off with the Avengers and Stephen. Some of this was her fault. She wasn't willing to accept it as such. She was blaming other people.

The resentment remained, but its target changed, and Ash looked to the ground.

"-My life was all that held her back, but my time has come. I cannot keep her away any longer."

Ash froze. Power began to swell around her, but it didn't source from her being. She turned in a circle before her gaze found Odin. She could almost see his life drain as the power built.

"Father, who are you talking about?" Thor asked.

"The Goddess of Death. Hela. My firstborn. Your sister."

"Plot twist," she murmured, beginning to approach them.

"Her violent appetites grew beyond my control. I couldn't stop her, so I imprisoned her, locked her away. She draws her strength from Asgard, and once she gets there, her powers will be limitless."

"Whatever she is," Thor continued. "We can stop her. We can face her together."

Odin took Thor's hand. "No, we won't. I'm on a different path now. This you must face alone. I love you, my children. Look at that."

Ash stopped and turned to face the sun as it illuminated the sky. Its warmth wrapped around her like a hug, and when she looked back, Odin was gone.

Before they could even process Odin's death, the sky darkened, and the wind became more violent. Ash continued her movement towards them at the same time as Thor rose and turned on Loki, his eyes alight with rage.

"Brother." Loki tried.

Her eyes moved to the electricity that cracked on his hands.

"This was your doing."

"Thor, this isn't the time," Ash snapped, her gaze on where the sky grey darkest and where a black portal developed.

They approached it, and Thor slammed down his umbrella. Thor and Loki's outfits changed into their Asgardian armour, while Ash's clothing changed to the deep black and grey suit. A piercing scream cut through the peaceful atmosphere, and Ash fought the wince.

A woman stepped out of the portal and looked around before focusing on them. "So he's gone?" she asked - clearly rhetorically. "That's a shame. I would've liked to have seen that."

Tension replaced the silence as they stared each other down.

"You must be Hela. I'm Thor, son of Odin."

"Really?" She raised her eyebrow. "You don't look like him."

Ash couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows. Maybe it was just the beard and the hair that made them look alike.

Loki shifted. "Perhaps we can reach an arrangement."

"You sound like him." She looked over to Ash with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not... I'm not related to you," she spoke awkwardly.

Ash didn't let her magic form in her palms, but she let it rustle under her skin, balancing it to the point of erupting.

"Kneel," Hela spoke in a simple tone.

Loki ducked his head with furrowed eyebrows. "Beg your pardon?"

Hela created a black blade. "Kneel... before your Queen."

"Oh, shit," Ash whispered.

"I don't think so," Thor denied and spun his hammer. He released it at her, but it stopped as her hand captured it. Thor's mouth opened, and Ash shifted, finally letting her magic develop in her hands as she shared an uneasy look with Loki. "It's not possible."

"Darling, you have no idea what's possible."

The hammer shattered in her hold and sent a wave of energy through the air. Ash covered her face and looked at Thor, her eyes wide.

"This is not good, this is very not good," she rushed out.

Hela ran her head through her hair, creating a headdress.

"Bring us back!" Loki shouted, looking upwards.

"No!" Thor shouted, and Hela charged at them as the Bi-Frost enveloped them.

Ash screamed shortly, her body flipping as the force sucked her upwards. Loki and Thor were above her, and when she looked down, her eyes found Hela, face narrowed with determination.

"Fuck!"

Loki and Thor reached for her as Hela threw one of her weapons at her. Ash managed to deflect it with her magic, but the force it created sent her flying to the side and breaking from the Bi-Frost.

"Shit!"