Mastering Illusions

33

The several months leading up to the Infinity Endeavor Reaping are filled with rigid training measures. Odin allows Hela to set up a training hall in the throne room and she puts Veers and I through a grueling regimen. Thor and Valkyrie are also subjected to similar training, Thor reveling in the chance to strut his skills once more. The Black Order's destruction of the training arena has prevented him from sparring with Fandral and Volstagg and I can tell he enjoys the chance to practice on Veers and I.

Veers and my brother thrive on the dueling practices. I haven't seen the Kree warrior so alive since our own alliance in the arena. She and Thor fight every day without fail. They are fairly evenly matched and although Thor will gripe to me about her strong abilities, I can tell he enjoys it.

Valkyrie also joins in the training, and seeing her in action is oddly inspiring. She doesn't duel that often, but when she does, it's with Hela or with me.

When Valkyrie duels with me, it's intense, double knives for weapons. Usually, we're evenly matched, but occasionally I can get the drop on her. On the other hand, when she fights with Hela, it's a whole other level of mastery.

I have never seen Hela fight before. She never even had to leave her podium to kill her twenty-three opponents in her Contest. So when she steps lazily into the center of the throne room the first time, between the pillars, and extends her arms out and down, flicking her wrists and summoning twin necroswords out of thin air, I know I'm in for a treat.

Until she selects me to duel.

"Loki, step forward."

I start as all eyes flick to me. "I beg your pardon?" I stammer, unsure I've heard correctly.

Hela lifts an eyebrow. "Are you deaf? Loki, step forward and fight me."

I glance at Thor, Valkyrie, and Veers, who all just look back at me. "Well?" Thor says. "Our sister asked you to step forward."

Shooting a glare at him, I summon my daggers and move forward, standing across from Hela in the center of the throne room. Hela gives me a lazy, deadly smile, like she's a snake and I'm the unfortunate mouse chosen to be its meal today. "Are you ready, brother?"

"I'm always ready," I reply smoothly, assuming a defensive stance. "Are you?"

In answer, Hela charges forward.

Unlike Thor, our sister's charge is smooth and elegant, a swift run straight at me, whipping her swords up to cross in front of her. When her necroswords cross with mine, I feel the shock reverberate through my arms, my entire body jarred. She then begins a barrage of blows, driving me back across the throne room. I'm barely able to defend myself.

"What are you the god of again?" she taunts, when she has me up against the wall, her blades crossed over my neck, only held back from touching my skin by my own daggers. The pressure of the necroswords on my knives is intense and it takes all my concentration to hold them back, so I can't even reply. I can't be sure Hela won't kill me if I give in. I can't be sure about anything when it comes to Hela.

"I thought so," she smirks at my silence, then steps back, drawing her blades away. I stagger forward, falling to one knee, before quickly rising again and preparing for another attack.

Hela just gestures dismissively and calls on Veers. I must say I get some pleasure on watching her administer a similar beating to my district partner, who finds that her usual method of fighting does nothing against the literal goddess of death. Before long, Hela has Veers pinned on the flagstones, her knee pressed into her chest and both blades angled at her throat.

That is the only time Hela fights against either of us, and she never deigns to duel Thor at all. Valkyrie is the only one she duels more than once, and it's always a different kind of fighting. I can't explain it, but Valkyrie throws herself into it like she's about to die and Hela acts like she could completely annihilate her but just...doesn't.