A M O R A
"No."
Amora heaved a sigh, running her hand through her hair. She had been staring at the same tree trunk all afternoon, marking it with runes.
Skuld stepped up beside her, her arms crossed, and regarded Amora's attempt at a fortune rune.
"If you think I'm going to let you touch Yggdrasil when you barely know any runes, you're mistaken." Skuld motioned a hand over to her sister. "Verdandi has seen children in Nornheim that know more runes than you."
"Karnilla never considered it a priority," Amora murmured.
"Well, she was always an overly ambitious fool," Skuld said, "Preferring to manipulate men more than fate."
The Norn leaned in closer to inspect Amora's carving. "Debt serves to balance fate, bring some semblance of peace to our chaotic universe. At this point, you'd be causing more chaos if you touched Yggdrasil."
Skuld took a step back. "Try again."
Amora bit her lip as she raised her hand to the tree. She could feel Skuld's dark eyes piercing into her. Glancing over at her failed attempt, Amora tried again. She made one line longer and another more curved.
Skuld gave a low hum of approval behind her. "Better."
The sorceress beamed, but a thought made her eyebrows twitch downward as she turned to face the Norn.
"The Celestials chose you to make bring reason to the universe, to fix the chaos," she said, "But there is still chaos now."
Skuld folded her hands behind her back. "The universe is large and it's inner workings vast. While we are powerful, our work is still at the mercy of those who act on it. People can defy fate."
A small smile formed in Skuld's face. "But a time will come when it is set right, when someone can give the universe what it needs."
"Who will it be?" Amora breathed.
Skuld looked her up and down. "I cannot tell you."
It was no direct answer, but something inside Amora swelled, making her stand taller. Maybe this was why she was here, why the Norns had been waiting on her.
"Skuld," Verdandi called with a smirk, "Would you like an update on your favorite person?"
Skuld perked, her eyes widening. "Is he finally dead?"
"Nope. He sits on a throne now."
Skuld let out a heavy groan. It was the loudest thing Amora had heard come out of the Norn witch. "Are you kidding me?"
"I'm afraid not," Urd said, holding up a darkening string, "It's starting to gray, but I'm still weaving his fate."
"What is it?" Amora asked, looking back and forth between the sisters.
Skuld pointed at the Yggdrasil tree. "I've had him marked for death for years now. Not fortune. Death."
"And yet he's managed to evade it every time," Verdandi mused.
"That trickster," Skuld muttered, shaking her head.
Amora watched Urd as she weaved the gray string in with the others. She reached her hand out hesitantly. How could someone defy fate?
Urd stopped her weaving, watching her with careful eyes, but Amora gave no notice. As her hand inched closer to the graying strand, it brushed against the others.
There was a golden gauntlet. A dark figured appeared, reaching for it.
"Fine. I'll do it myself."
Amora flinched, her hand jerked back and her breath hitching in her throat.
"What did you see?" Urd asked evenly.
"Thanos," Amora breathed, "He's preparing for war."
The strand wound through Urd's tapestry, touching countless other strings. Only a few were wrapped tightly around Thanos's string.
One of these can kill him.
She reached for the nearest one. As soon as she touches it, a enraged shriek filled her ears. A blue figure charged across her vision.
The sight disappeared and Amora found herself facing Urd.
The Norn raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"Nebula. She can kill Thanos."
Urd only shrugged. "Perhaps."
"Perhaps?" Amora asked, exasperated, "I saw her. She was attacking him."
"I told you. Binding people's fates does not guarantee the same outcome."
"Then we must tell her."
Urd gave her a sharp look. "No."
"Why?" Amora's voice grew louder. "He is dangerous, and we have a chance to stop him."
"It is not our place."
"So we should just stand aside?"
"Yes."
Amora huffed and stood to her feet.
Urd folded her hands in her lap. Her cool demeanor was unnerving. "You are incapable of being objective with this. Even with small lives, I see you spend hours deciding where to tie them. We are to guide the universe, not worry of trivial things."
Pressing her lips together, Amora looked down and nodded. "I'm going to go practice more runes," she muttered.
As she reached the shade of the trees surrounding Yggdrasil, Amora glanced over her shoulder. Skuld had left her usual place by the great tree, joining her sisters by Verdandi's pools.
Amora started to go towards them, but something caught her eye. The tree that she had been practicing on earlier stood out among the others. They were all healthy and green, but this one was lush and vibrant. The rune carved into it glowed with a soft light.
Fortune.
Glancing back over at the Norns, Amora drew her dark cloak tighter around her shoulders and crept to the other side of Yggdrasil's massive trunk.
She could not just stand by while others were facing Thanos. If anyone could kill him, it was his daughter. Amora would have almost preferred Gamora, but now was not the time to be picky.
The carvings glowed softly as she ran her hand across them. She peered around the tree; the Norns were still in deep conversation.
Letting out a deep breath, Amora pressed her hand to the bark and thought, Nebula.
At her command, the runes on began to move, swimming across the surface of the tree until they settled with a line of markings glowing before Amora.
Running her hand down to the bottom of Nebula's line, Amora paused. Hopefully I can get it right this time.
The wood warmed under her hand as she began writing. Sweat began to bead at her forehead, and her brow creased. She could not afford to make a mistake, but she knew that she needed to watch for the other witches. If they found her, who knows what the punishment would be?
When she was done, Amora took a step back and regarded her work. It seemed right.
Nothing's on fire, she thought wryly.
Amora nodded to herself before starting back toward the trees. Pride bloomed in her chest. She had done it. Skuld had said that she was not ready, but she had done it.
Maybe I can—
She gave a sharp cry as she gripped her forearm, her knees buckling under her. A blinding pain seared through her arm, making black spots fill her vision.
And then it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. Amora sat hunched over in the grass, her chest heaving. What had just been a sharp pain was now only a dull ache.
Raising her arm, she moved away the shaky hand that was clamped over it.
Fortune.
The rune stared back at her. The lines were dark on her arm, and the skin around it was an angry red. She ghosted a finger over the brand, letting out a soft hiss. Was this some sort of punishment?
She looked back over her shoulder. The Yggdrasil clearing was silent; nothing seemed wrong.
Hopefully it worked.
Amora stood, holding her arm, and slipped away into the trees. But a thought nagged at the back of her mind.
Urd had said that outcomes were never guaranteed. Nebula's and Thanos's strings were tired, but that did not mean that she would kill him. It just meant that she could.
Amora sighed and shook her head to herself. "I have to find Nebula."
* * *
Thanks, everyone, for your feedback on my future works! I never responded, but they were all greatly appreciated and accounted for! I'll let you guys know which one I decide to start first soon!
Also! As you know, I'm going back and editing Enchanted. I've added some stuff to the chapter "The Warning" if any of you are interested. It doesn't change anything, just some additions.
Thanks guys!