Loki and Sigyn, His Glorious Purpose

Chapter One Hundred and Six

Late that afternoon as Loki and I continued to discuss the Avenger's intentions in sending Banner, Hela burst through the front door with a fury. Her eyes were wide and yet a small smile appeared on her lips. Loki and I shared a glance, waiting to hear a reason for her fervor.

"Yes?" Loki asked, raising a brow as he looked upon his daughter.

"You won't believe the conversation I just overheard," she said excitedly as she hung up her coat and bow.

"Overheard?" I echoed, "You were eavesdropping?"

"Yeah," Hela replied nonchalantly, "I was in Uncle Thor's cabin, invisible of course, and I heard something crazy. You'll be glad I was eavesdropping, mom. Truly, you will."

"Go on," I said waiting for her explanation. Yet again, I found my heart thumping wildly within me as the anxiety began to build. I feared what she was about to say but I anticipated it nevertheless.

"The Avengers are planning on fixing what Thanos did," Hela announced, her smile wide and crazed. She couldn't have looked anymore like her father as she continued, "They're going to bring everyone back, they're going to revere the snap."

"That's ridiculous," Loki said with a shrug, "Whatever plan they have concocted, it's not going to work."

"Yes it is," Hela said firmly, her brows furrowing.

"Darling," Loki attempted, his voice calm and nurturing, "Thanos is an Eternal, he's practically a god. If I had no chance of overtaking him, I find it hard to believe that earth's mightiest heroes will be able to even reverse what he did."

"You don't understand," she insisted as she sat in front of her father and I.

Hela took a deep breath, seemingly stressed as she explained, "The spirits...who left with the snap, aren't dead. They're not even...gone really and they are certainly not in the after life."

"How do you know, Hela?" Loki asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"Usually," Hela explained, "I can't tell if someone has passed or...moved on. I know whether or not they've ascended to Valhalla or to...Hel. And I can..."

Hela stopped, seemingly thinking over what to say next. I knew where she was going and I knew exactly what she was talking about. Over the last two years, Hela began to develop frequent night terrors. Nearly every time I would tuck my daughter in, Hela would be up the next hour crying or screaming about "the people in her room". She would tuck herself into a corner, trying to escape the invisible assailants. Hela would claim that these people were begging for her help whether through a voyage to valhalla or an escape from Hel. She used to describe them so vividly and with such fear, I began to wonder whether or not these nightmares were dreams at all. Hela was a Goddess but her patronage was unknown at the time. However, as she began to grow and these night terrors evolved into near seances, it became clear that my daughter was communicating with the great beyond. My daughter, my Hela, had taken up the mantle abandoned by her aunt and my abuser. Hela Lokisdottir had grown into the Goddess of death.

With a shaky breath, Hela locked eyes with her father and said quietly, "I can speak to the dead. I can guide them and even bring them back if I at least have their body. But, those who passed with the snap...I've never seen them. And I would've, at least one of the millions of people who disappeared with it. I don't know, this is crazy but I know they aren't dead. They can all be brought back. I just don't know how."

Loki nodded, sitting back as he soaked it all in. After a brief moment a small smile appeared on his face and he looked at me. His eyes twinkled with a mischievous guise as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"If I'm hearing this right," he began, chuckling lightly, "I fathered the most influential Goddess in all of the nine realms. Sigyn, she's the damn Goddess of Death! Do you understand how powerful that makes her? Ha! Damn, I knew I was gonna be worth something. Pfft, father to the  Goddess of Death."

For a moment Loki basked in the glory of his paternity, before he circled back around to the moment at hand with Hela's prompting.

"Now I know they can do it," Hela said, "And that I can help them."

"Absolutely not," Loki said as he began to laugh, "No. Not at all. You're staying right here, where you're safe."

"No," she insisted, "I don't care about safety. Half of the world is at stake!"

"Your father is right," I sighed, knowing she would hate the fact that I was agreeing with Loki.

"Mother," she begged, "But this is bigger than just me, just us even. We have to try! I have to try."

"You're not going anywhere," Loki repeated firmly, his voice shifting to extreme sternness.

"But why?" Hela whined angrily.

"Because, Hela," he said, his eyes narrowing as he stood up, "I fought my way through time and space to get here, to be with you and protect this damn family. There is no way in hell that I'm letting you throw that all away. You are staying here in New Asgard where it's safe and that's final."

"But-"

"No!" Loki bellowed, "You are not fighting in some man's war, you are staying right here. You're a child, Hela! I've worked endlessly to make sure you're safe. And I'll be damned before I ever let you risk your own safety."

As soon as he rose his voice, I came to Hela's side. I looked at Loki and begged him to calm down. Though I agreed with every word he spoke, I knew his inflection would leave Hela hurt and angry. As Loki finished, Hela shrugged off my touch and immediately stomped towards her room before angrily slamming the door behind her.

Loki sighed, rubbing his face and falling back into his seat.

"I just don't want her to get hurt," he muttered quietly, his head still in his hands, "I can't lose her, not now. Not ever."

I sat besides Loki on the arm of his chair and gently began to rub his back.

"I know," I said quietly, "I know..."

As I looked down the hallway where Hela's room lay, I knew in my heart that there would be no stopping that girl. Despite my wishes and the desires of her father, I knew that our family would be roped into the Avenger's mess in one way or another.

And though I knew the war to come was inescapable, I knew firm and well that death was inevitable as well. For this my heart pained, especially as I looked down upon my husband. I couldn't help but think the time we spent together was quickly coming to a close. I could hardly handle the thought and yet I knew all too well that the family I had just gotten back was soon to be broken once more.

I gently tipped up Loki's chin and placed a slight kiss on his forehead before I slid into his lap, cozying up in his embrace.

In my fear and anxiety, I could hardly say anything but, "I love you."

Loki gently kissed atop my head, holding me close and firm.

"I love you too."