Sigil: The Avenger of Mischief

Chapter 3 - Mission Accepted

Emerald woke up and was a little startled when she saw Hela sleeping in a bed across from her.  She shifted the silk covers and sat up.  She rubbed her eyes, then ran her fingers through her long hair.  Emerald stretched, yawned, and stood up.  "Time to get up Sleepyhead!  We've got work to do!" Emerald said, but Hela just rolled over and continued to sleep.  Emerald folded her arms across her chest and watched her with a raised eyebrow.  "Lazy royalty," she muttered as she started to get ready.

"Pompous upstart," Hela responded from the depths of her pillow.  Emerald spun around when she heard this and knew why she said it.  She had originally been a demi-god, the daughter of a mortal.  The only reason she was a goddess, was because her father had vacated the position she now held.  Emerald's lip became a firm line of displeasure, and she placed her hands at the foot of Hela's bed.  Suddenly, ice formed and encased her sister's feet.  "Yow!" Hela exclaimed as she sat up pulled her knees into her chest.  When she looked at Emerald, Emerald's hands were on her hips and she was tapping her foot on the ground.  "Don't think you're so high and mighty because you have Dad's title and helmet," Hela warned her as she cracked the ice and climbed out of bed.

"I don't.  I just know that Thanos waits for no man.  So, we're getting up and moving on," Emerald told her as she slipped her dark green, sleeveless jacket on.  Hela rolled her eyes, and said something in a language that was coarse, and rough to Emerald's ears.  It only took the extraordinary linguist a moment to realize that she was speaking in the language of the Lycanharts, a race of half man, and half wolf creatures.

"Did Dad teach you that language?" Emerald asked, wondering how such a language could still exist when the culture was all but extinct.

"Why on earth would Dad teach me that language?" Hela asked Emerald like her question was stupid.  Emerald frowned a little, but Hela still gave her a look.

"The reason I asked was because Dad taught me all the languages I know," Emerald told her.  Hela nodded before running her fingers through her short, black hair.

"Fenris taught it to me.  When we first moved to Niffleheim, I was bored out of my brain.  So, to challenge me, Fenris began to teach me the language he used to converse with Lycanharts.  Being the son of a god, and a wolf to boot, he knew everything easily, and he taught it to me.  But you can't speak it?" Hela asked and Emerald nodded.  "But, you knew what language I was speaking?"

"Yeah.  Like I said, I'm a linguist," Emerald said.  Hela nodded before a wicked smirk appeared on her face, and a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"Cornafaria donte," she said.

"Ikransan turo," Emerald responded cooly, speaking fluently in Jotun.  Hela still smiled as she spoke in another language.

"Ipriso asaan mechenta," Hela declared and Emerald snickered.

"Ori dalaan morsaan," Emerald said, speaking in Dark Elf.

"Damn!" Hela said and Emerald grinned.  'Told you,' she mouthed and Hela stuck out her tongue at her.  They two girls suited up, Emerald putting her knuckle duster gloves on, and Hela concealing her face beneath her veil.  Emerald made sure that her knives were still in her boots, while Hela checked her laser gun and saw that it was charged.  Emerald saw the gun and her brow furrowed.

"Don't you have a weapon that befits your rank as a goddess?" she asked and Hela cocked her head at her.  Emerald shrugged, because she expected her sister to have some kind of ancient weapon, like her Fireheart.

"I have some secret weapons of my own, but, those are better saved for another time," Hela said, bringing her finger to her mouth and smirking mischievously.  Emerald rolled her eyes while Hela chuckled.

"Alright.  We're going.  The next place I want to check out is the Reishaan Market on Wuran.  Keep up," Emerald said as she started to teleport.  Hela gave her a mock salute before she joined her on Wuran.

Starlord looked at the picture that SHIELD had sent of Emerald.  He saw a pretty girl with gentle eyes, and a kind mouth.  Gamora looked over his shoulder at her, and her eyes narrowed.  "She definitely looks like an Aesir," she said.

"A what?" Peter Quill asked and Gamora rolled her eyes.

"Aesir.  It's a term for a divine being.  She might have had a mortal mother, but she possesses her father's regal bone structure," Gamora said.  Peter looked back at the picture amd his mouth twisted up.  Drax also glanced over Quill's shoulder and Rocket clambered up his back to peek as well. 

"Ouchy momma!" Rocket exclaimed as he snatched the picture from Peter and oggled it.  "She's hot!" he said as he admired it.

"May I remind you that she is of the humanoid variety, and thereby, out of your league," Quill said, trying to take the picture back.  Rocket ran down Drax and up Groot, who grew a couple extra feet to keep him out of Quill's reach.  "Come back here with that picture!" Peter ordered but Rocket just stuck his tongue out at him, and folded the picture into his suit.  "Okay, now I don't want to touch it," Quill said, walking away.  Rocket looked triumphant as Groot went back to his normal size.  Drax and Gamora just shook their heads and rolled their eyes.  Rocket sat on Groot's shoulder and pulled out the picture again.  He studied the curves of Emerald's face, the gentle smirk in her lips, and the mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"She's killing me and I haven't even met her," Rocket said softly.

"I am Groot," Groot told him.

"I don't care.  I like her," Rocket responded.

When Emerald and Hela reappeared in the Reishaan Market, it had just opened.  Aliens and travelers from all over were shopping in the market, or trading, or just selling.  Emerald pulled her hood up, while Hela adjusted her veil.  "Do we know what we're looking for Sherlock?" Hela asked Emerald in a whisper.

"We're looking for a Chitauri commander.  He comes to this market frequently, usually to get supplies for Thanos special.  The Titan has his appetites as well," Emerald said.  "His name is Kartan Mortis."

"Death is his last name?  My kind of guy," Hela said and that was when Emerald remembered that the dead and death were her area of expertise.  Emerald split off from Hela, and began to search the crowd.  Hela went off in her own direction and began to look for an important Chitauri guy.  Both girls were as smooth as snakes, gliding through the crowded booths and stalls where the merchants were selling their wares.  The market was loud, and it smelled funny, unless you were used to it.  Emerald's hood concealed her face from the people around her, and the only thing they could see of Hela, was her pale chin, and her purple lips. 

Chhrrch, this is Lieutenant Hela reporting to Captain Emerald!  Come in captain!  Hela's voice sang in Emerald's head suddenly, and the goddess jumped.  She sounded like a walkie talkie.  Several people saw her and laughed a little.  Emerald waved at them, then growled under her breath.

Don't make me toss you out of here! Emerald told her and Hela just snickered.  Emerald kept on walking, until she saw Commander Mortis.  He had been specially designed by Thanos to lead his troops.  He was huge, over eight and half feet in height.  The mask he wore, was made from the skull of some dead creature, and his armor was molded well over his muscular body.  He was carrying a huge battle ax, that had the claw of an animal at the end of it, and a tooth at the head.  Emerald smirked as she started walking towards him.  "Finally, somebody worth my time," she muttered.