Dreaming in Blue

II - Odin gets Yeeted

Loki had suddenly lashed out against the Wizard, and they ended up being forced through the portal. Loki fell on the grass face down.

He had pretended not to see Nina during his little outburst, but they both knew they had felt it. For some reason, the two were connected in some way, and they could practically feel each other's presence. But since Nina hadn't made any moves, he wouldn't either.

Little did he know, Nina was physically unable to make any moves or say anything to him. For years she believed him to be dead. Years. He pretended to be dead, knew she would be devastated, and did absolutely nothing. She didn't have it in her to face him.

Just as Thor was going to say something, probably tell Loki he shouldn't have yelled at the Wizard, they noticed Odin standing near a cliff.

The eldest slowly walked to his father, but Loki hesitated. To say he disliked Odin was an understatement. For years, he had despised the man. He looked back Nina, who was looking at Odin with anger on her expression. He understood her anger, he understood her hatred. Loki had had his childhood stolen by Odin, his throne of Jotunheim. But Nina had lost her people. Her family, her friends, her planet. Odin could have helped then, but he didn't.

Loki didn't realise he had been staring until Nina spoke up.

"Go," she told him and gestured to Odin and Thor. Want it or not, Loki had been raised as Odin's son. That man was all he knew as a father. Something was wrong, and they could feel it.

Loki approached Odin and stood by his side.

"My sons," Odin spoke.

"Yes, we're here to take you home," Thor told his father. Odin closed his eyes, reliving a memory.

"Home, yes," Odin nodded. "Your mother, she calls me," Odin said. He slowly turned to Loki. "Do you hear it?"

Nina froze. Odin was dying. She had imagined Odin's death in so many gruesome ways, but she didn't think she would actually witness it. Now that she thought about it, she didn't want to. Nina took a step back from the scene.

"Loki, lift your magic," Thor ordered. Loki looked at him and shook his head. Loki also seemed to understand what was happening. Odin chuckled.

"It took me quite a while to break free from your spell," the old man told his younger son. "Frigga would have been proud." Nina felt how much that sentence weighed on Loki. Knowing his mother would be proud meant a whole lot to him. "Come and sit with me, I don't have much time," Odin said and walked to a big rock behind him.

He locked eyes with Nina for a split second, but it was enough for the other two to notice. He didn't say anything and didn't show any emotion, but somehow, he showed gratitude, and Nina perceived it.

Odin sat on the rock with a sigh.

"I know we failed you, but we can make this right," Thor started. Odin shook his head.

"I failed you," he argued. "Tis upon us. Ragnarok." Nina froze and a wave of anxiety hit her. She had read of Ragnarok. She knew the chaos it would bring and the destruction it would leave on its trail.

"No, I've stopped Ragnarok," Thor argued. "I put an end to Surtur."

"No," Odin shook his head. "Ir has already begun. She's coming. My life was all that held her back, but my time has come. I cannot keep her away any longer."

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

Hella, Nina realised. Hella was Odin's daughter. They used to conquer realms, Odin and her. Nina thought she had died. Everyone thought so. Apparently, that wasn't what happened.

"Goddess of death. Hella," Odin told his sons. "My firstborn. Your sister." Thor tensed up and sucked in a shaky breath.

"Your what?"

"Her violent appetites grew beyond my control," Odin explained. "Her violent appetites grew beyond my control. She's the reason I conquered the Nine Realms. She believed the best time to attack would be during the Time War, for the planets and empires would be weaker and more submissive. She was right. That is why Asgard took no place in the Last Great Time War. We were too busy feeding Hela's hunger."

This hit Nina like a train. Her breath hitched in her throat and for a minute, she couldn't breathe. She never addressed what had happened to her people, because this is the reaction she would have every single time. She never spoke of it. And hearing Odin speak of it so casually caused her to panic. This girl, Hella, the goddess of death, was the sole and unique reason for the death of her people, her whole species. She could barely breathe. Nina took a step back, not wanting to be noticed by the family or having the attention turned on her. Except Loki felt her panic. He turned his head towards her with a frown on his face, noticing her hands were shaking before she could even process it.

"She draws her power from Asgard, and once she gets there her powers will be limitless," Odin kept going, even after realizing his younger son's attention was no longer turned to him.

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

"No, we won't," Odin cut him off. Loki turned back to Odin with hesitation. He really wanted to run to Nina and hug her, right now. But Odi was dying, and he hadn't seen Nina in years. "I'm on a different path, now," Odin continued. "This, you must face alone."

There was silence. The only sound to be heard was the one of the waves hitting the side of the cliff they were standing on.

"I love you, my sons," Odin spoke. "Look at that," he pointed to the horizon. The two followed his gaze. "Remember this place. Home."

They watched as Odin's essence took over his body and he flew away in the wind as specs of gold. The two walked to the edge of the cliff and watched as the specs flew away and dissipated.