In the blink of an eye, the dusty town of Empire disappears. Melody stumbles a step as the ground shifts underneath her. What was solid concrete suddenly turns into old, splintery planks, groaning under their sudden weight. Oliver lets out a deep breath, leaning on his staff.
"S-Sorry," he says, panting softly. "Two people takes a lot out of me."
"It's okay," Melody says, breathing in the swampy air. Her eyes slide over the horizon; tall stalks of grass rise out of a shallow river, with a network of old docks built like the branches of a tree over it. They stand where the branches meet, facing the building she knows all too well. Asgard.
The building is small, barely large enough to park a simple fishing boat. It's little more than a wooden shack, the white paint peeling from years under the harsh sun and heavy rain. Tall windows line the walls but are blocked by thick curtains on the inside. A few boxes sit on one side of the dock, waiting to be used, but the building looks like it was abandoned long ago.
Almost instantly Melody feels the itch. She scratches her arms, shrinking into herself. How long has it been? Five years? Six? Far too long - what is she going to say when she steps inside? When she was planning her journey, the Norse Pantheon felt like it would be the easiest for her to visit. But now, just a few feet from the door, she can't make herself take those final steps.
"The Aesir aren't that scary!" Oliver says, raising his head. He's covered in sweat, and his usually coloured skin looks grey and sickly. "Odin is friendly, and... they...have good drinks!" He adds, his eyes sliding to the side. Melody grips her arms, swallowing her anxiety. But no matter how much she tries, the itch continues. It's not the Aesir she's afraid of. It's him. The one she's really there to see.
"D-do you mind taking a break?" She says, looking down at the red marks on her arms from scratching so hard. "I-I just need a minute."
"Of course!" Oliver squeaks, raising his hands defensively. "We can - uh - why don't we-?" He gestures at the boxes vaguely. Melody nods, not fully listening. She follows him to the pile and sits down on the first empty spot she can find. Oliver awkwardly sits next to her, wringing his staff like he's trying to strangle the twin snakes.
How am I supposed to bring this up, Melody thinks. She grips her elbows to stop herself from scratching, absentmindedly chewing her lip instead. Odin I can convince. Maybe even Thor. But...how am I supposed to tell Oliver why I wanted to come here so badly? After he worked so hard, went through so much to stop him...will he really be okay with this? A black shape flutters down from the sky, settling on the top of the boathouse. Melody doesn't look at it - she knows what it is. I'm trying, okay? Just give me a second!
"Oliver...?" She mutters, still staring at the floor. Oliver jumps, having been staring at the raven. "Can we...talk?"
"Yeah!" He says, his eyes flicking to the massive bird every so often. Melody stares at the dock, watching the shadow the raven casts.
"Thanks. I'm just wondering...what do you think...of Marcus?" Oliver pauses, turning to face her curiously. Silence hangs over them for a time, and Melody can feel the raven watching her.
"L-Like I told Zeus, I think he was right," Oliver begins. Melody shakes her head, slamming her hands on the box next to her legs.
"I don't mean his goal!" She snaps, catching herself a second later. Breaking from her trance, she hovers one hand in front of her mouth, looking up at Oliver. "S-sorry. I just mean...as a person. You're the one that had to stop him, in the end. Do you think Marcus is...bad?" Oliver stares at her, his usual sheepish nature seeming to fade away. A thin smile spreads across his lips, and he looks down, sliding his thumb over Caduceus.
"What Marcus did was bad. But...it's not that simple." He replies, his eyes glazing over. "Maybe I should have mentioned this back on Mount Olympus, but I don't think Marcus actually wanted to fight. When everything was happening, he kept hesitating." His gaze shifts and Melody follows his eyes to a smashed section of the dock in the distance. Her jaw quivers as she realizes what they're looking at; the place where the final battle of the rebellion took place. Where Oliver and his friends faced Marcus's rebels.
"He wanted to meet with me directly. He kept trying to get me to side with him. And even when I refused, he tried to avoid fighting," Oliver continues slowly. "He used illusions to try to stall me until Zeus's deadline came. He only attacked when I managed to break out."
"What about what he did to Emelia?" Melody says before she can stop herself. She bites her lip again, her hands shaking, but Oliver just shakes his head.
"At the time, I was angry. But looking back...he was desperate," Oliver says. "He was almost begging me to stop fighting him, and only pulled out the Mistletoe Arrow when I wouldn't give up. Like I said, he went too far...but I kind of understand why he did it." Oliver nods to himself, and the Raven lets out a low crone.
"So...do you think he...could be saved?" Melody whispers, almost to herself. Oliver blinks, turning back to her slowly.
"Saved? But he's - he's a god now. He's living his godhood as Loki always does." Melody shakes her head, pulling her knees to her chest.
"I know that. But, if we manage to make this new treaty, and he doesn't have to anymore...would you give him a second chance?" Melody holds her breath, waiting for Oliver's answer. He hums once, taps Caduceus against the dock twice, then sighs.
"I would," He finally says. "I don't know how much you heard about the rebellion, but I didn't actually stop him. Apparently, Marcus only had three things he needed to do to complete his godly training - betray the gods, take a life with the mistletoe arrow, and help seal Fenrir's power. While we were fighting, he did the first two, and then at the end..."
"Fenrir started to break free," Melody confirms with a nod. "I heard. Everyone managed to stop him." Oliver tilts his head to the side.
"Everyone? No, we got separated. It was just Marcus and me." Melody snaps to attention, nearly falling off her box seat. She stares at Oliver, her eyes wide.
"W-wait, you mean Marcus...?" She gasps. Oliver nods, staring at his staff again.
"In the end, he helped set things right." He confirms. "So, if it was up to me, I think I'd give him another chance." He lets out a weak laugh, his head sinking into his shoulders. "N-not that that's ever going to happen, though. Nobody would trust me with something like that." Melody nods, only half listening. Her heart flutters with hope, and she grips her shirt, pushing her fingers into her chest gently.
"He tried to help..." She whispers, feeling a pressure build behind her eyes. She takes a deep breath, raising her head. For the first time, she locks eyes with the raven, still watching her knowingly. It's twice the size of a normal bird, and after holding her gaze for a few seconds, it caws, hopping off the roof. Melody watches it disappear into the sky.
"So... what do you think of me, then?" Melody says, relishing in her guilt-free joy. Oliver lets out a few confused sounds, sliding away from her slowly.
"O-Oh, I, uh...I mean...you seem...nice? And you...uh..." He stammers, his cheeks flushing. Melody giggles, shaking her head.
"I just mean, do you trust me? Will you take my side if I do something crazy?" Oliver blinks, still edging away from her sheepishly.
"I... think so?" His eyes jump to the boathouse. "You're not going to start a fight with the Aesir, are you?" He whispers. Melody laughs, shaking her head quickly.
"Not if I can help it. But...I think I am going to go a bit off-script for this one." She pushes off the box, jumping to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she marches up to the double doors of the small shack. Hesitating for only a moment, she throws the doors open, stepping into the blinding light they release. Oliver scurries after her, and they disappear into the light.
Melody closes her eyes, readying herself for the scene waiting for her. The light fades, and she stands tall, taking in her surroundings. There's no sign of the musty old boathouse they had entered; instead, Melody and Oliver emerge in a beautiful meeting hall. The walls are made of dark, chiseled stone. Instead of paintings, they're decorated with pictures carved directly into them, depicting monsters and armies at war. In the center of the room is a long table, wide enough to be the runway for a fashion show. Dozens of chairs sit haphazardly around it, some knocked over. At the far end of the table is a tall throne, a single raven sitting on one of the armrests.
Four people are gathered at the table, glaring at the intruders. Melody searches their faces quickly; Tyr, a muscular man with a heavy beard and only one hand. Frey, a thinner man with bleach blonde hair and handsome enough to put movie stars to shame. Sif, a fair-faced woman with shimmering golden hair. And next to her, the last person Melody was hoping to see, Thor.
"H-Hello!" Oliver says, doing his best to sound official. His voice cracks, but he powers through, tapping his staff on the floor formally. "I am Hermes, and I'm here to-"
"Is that who I think it is!?" Thor suddenly gasps, slamming his stein on the table as he jumps to his feet. He's a monster of a man, with arms as thick as bowling balls, a barrel chest, and standing nearly seven feet tall. He grins, narrowing his bright green eyes. "Not only do we have an uninvited guest that can't even announce himself properly. But I think I see little Melly!" He taunts, crossing his arms. "Bold move, showing up here after what your boyfriend did."
Melody immediately breaks into a cold sweat, feeling Oliver's eyes land on her. She keeps her composure, breathing deeply through her nose. She crosses her arms, glaring at her accuser. Thor meets her gaze as if it's a challenge, climbing onto the table.
"I'm here to see Frigg," she says formally, obviously turning to the other three gods and giving a deep bow. "Could I kindly ask you to summon her?"
"Yeah, right!" Thor snorts, his eye twitching. He stomps down the table, knocking mugs over and shattering plates as he does. Frey snatches his drink before it's trampled on, and Tyr rolls his eyes, slipping through a side door silently. "You show up here after all this time, it's obvious what you're after. And it's not gonna happen." He reaches the end of the table, grinning down his nose at her.
"M-Mel?" Oliver whimpers, flattening himself against the door behind them. "Why does the Norse god of thunder know your name?"
"Great question, pipsqueak!" Thor roars before she can answer. He jumps off the table, soaring halfway to the high ceiling and landing right in front of Melody. "Didn't tell your friend about yourself? What, you ashamed of us? It's okay, go ahead - tell him!" He flexes his muscles, but Melody only offers a blank stare back. "Hey, why don't we have a match, just like the old days? You were so sure you could pin me! It was adorable watching you squirm!" He barks a laugh in her face. "Maybe you'll be worth my time, now that you've got some divinity in you!"
"I'm here to see Frigg," Melody repeats through grit teeth. Oliver flinches away from her, surprised by her sudden change in tone. She doesn't sound angry - it's like she's trying to kill him with just her tone. "I'd kindly ask you to go summon her."
"Yeah, I heard you," Thor grunts. "And I'm sure you heard me when I said, it's not gonna happen!"
"M-Mel!" Oliver squeaks, his knees knocking against each other. He leans against the wall, slowly sinking lower. "What's happening?" Melody looks back at him, feeling a pang of sympathy. She turns, offering a hand when he's almost on the floor.
"It's a long story, but I actually know this meathead," she says, trying to offer a smile. "Most of the Aesir, actually."
"Yeah, honestly she's more Nord than she is Greek," Thor agrees, dropping a heavy hand on her shoulder. Melody stumbles under the sudden weight but quickly rights herself. He leans over her shoulder, grinning. "You're here to see your old boyfriend now that he's a traitor, aren't you? Feel bad you couldn't help him in the end?" Melody feels something inside her snap. Her eyes pulse with amber light, and she touches his hand on her shoulder.
"If you don't-"
"THOR!" A sudden voice yells, ripping through the room like a gunshot. Oliver lets out a pathetic whimper, and Thor's grip tightens on Melody's shoulder. His grin disappears, and he takes a step back, raising his hand. Melody feels her anger wash away, replaced by nostalgic memories. She spins around, finding a pair of familiar faces staring back at her.
"You are to gather the Aesir," The man says darkly. He has greying black hair and a thick beard covering the bottom of his wrinkled face. One of his eyes is covered by a black patch, but the other shines with pale light. He walks with purpose and confidence, a tall staff in his hand with a large raven sitting on the top. As he approaches the table, it hops off, joining its twin on the back of the throne. "Now!" He commands when Thor doesn't move. The god growls, storming off through a side door.
"Hermes," The woman next to him says, lowering her head respectfully. "Please, stand. It's good to see you again," she says kindly, her hands folded in front of her. Melody's heart swells with happiness as the woman turns to her, her deep blue eyes landing on her. Her brown hair is greying as well, but the only signs of age on her face are crow's feet. She smiles at Melody as well, and Melody quickly bows.
"Melody, it's been too long." The woman adds warmly. Melody keeps her head lowered for an extra few seconds before righting herself. She smiles, mirroring the woman's formal stance.
"Hi, mom."