You were aware that you were flying.
Multicoloured light surrounded you as you soared through the heavens unknown, witnessing the stars that you had often marveled at from your father's laboratory rooftop magnify, growing in size until they resembled the sun itself. You supposed that these stars were suns for other planets, other civilisations that lived in the universe. Yeah, that was a hard pill to swallow, the ide that the human race was not alone, the idea that the trifles and arguments of every day life were nothing in comparison to the clamour and ruckus of life that hummed all throughout the universe.
The scariest part you felt of moving through the universe was the darkness. Sure, there were the pinpricks of light and stars throughout the universe that offered a stark contrast against the black ink night of the twilight that engulfed all of reality, but even those stars were not permanent. The stars would last for millions of years until they erupted in a massive explosion, until the inner core collapsed in on itself and formed a black hole. Yes, even the brightest and biggest stars went dark and cold.
The darkness, on the other hand, would last forever. It had lasted forever, until a really big explosion started bringing in life and noise. But that noise wasn't permanent, it would last for trillions of years until all the energy in the universe went cold and dark, returning to the eventual and inescapable fate of cold and silence.
You saw that future in the darkness, in the black gaps between the rays of each star. You could see the light and how it represented life, life that tried to exist in a universe that was not very kind, where over two-thirds of all known planets were too cold and too inhospitable to harbor any form of organic life. The universe did not intend to create life, it was a mere accident that resulted from a few chemical reactions at a few chance moments on some worlds scattered across the universe. Most of the universe was cold and unforgiving, not welcoming to life.
It was this darkness, you feared, that perhaps was the foe you threatened, a larger than life entity that was determined to wipe out all forms of life. There was no way to face it, even if you could overcome the migraines that crippled you, that kept you chained against a metaphorical rock and kept you from using your 'Friends without benefits' so to speak. Maybe you could stop an alien army from outer space, but whatever the creature was, whatever had the strength to kill Thor as if he was nothing more than a bug crossing a car windshield, how could you expect to match the strength of that?
You thought that Stark was thinking the same things you were, about how small and unimportant life was in the grand scheme of things, about how all the planets that you passed were all temporary, that the gears of the universe would eventually complete their turn back into darkness as was the natural way of things.
You reached out a hand and touched the multicoloured light that surrounded you, an ethereal glow that surrounded you and those from Tomorrowland sent to escort you back. It didn't feel like the way light did; it felt more like warm water, the kind that you often liked to take a shower in, the temperature that did not quite scold your skin nor leave you in a shivering state of hypothermia.
"Best not touch that," the man with the large beard warned you. "If you break the shield of energy around us, you will fall out into the abyss unknown and float for a state of eternity before you lungs would freeze and crytallise into ice."
You retracted your hand and said nothing, not particularly fond of these Asgardians.
You were aware that the light around you was beginning to dim in strength and a massive circle of light was beginning to appear at the other end of the tunnel. And before you knew it, you were collapsed on the ground in front of a rather large man clad in golden armour, looking at you with a bemused grin.
"Welcome to Asgard," the man with the golden armour boomed, looking at you with his eyes, though you felt as if he was not really looking at you, but at all things that happened throughout the universe, the way you often watched life in the universe during your migraines, seeing all but knowing nothing of what it meant.
"Thank you Heimdall," the man with the large beard nodded as Heimdall bowed in response and removed a rather large sword from the base of a machine. The machine seemed to die down and you assumed that the sword was a form of energy, like a key, that activated the machine that offered a one way pass to anywhere else in the universe.
"I see that you have taken your time Volstagg," Heimdall chortled, nodding towards your accompanier. "Odin issued the summons for the Earthern envoy over three weeks ago. Though I choose not to spy on those that work on the behalf of my king, I couldn't help but notice you spent a considerable amount of time visiting Earthern bars and clubs."
"You can't expect me not to have a little bit of fun," the man with the beard argued on his behalf of whom you realized was called Volstagg, though 'man with a beard' seemed to fit him much better.
"This is a time for mourning," Heimdall snapped in reply, silencing Volstagg. "The heir to the Asgardian throne has left this realm and ascended to the Valhalla and you idle about. The funeral is in a days time and your presence is expected alongside Hogun and Fandral, though there will be no drinking or dancing with women as are the customs of Earthern men."
"Yes, I understand," Volstagg replied solemnly before motioning for you and Stark to follow after him. His other partner, whom you later learned was called Hogun, followed after the three of you from behind, as if he expected an enemy ship to raise from the waters below. You wondered if perhaps it had happened before.
The golden machine in which you had emerged from gave lead to a massive rainbow-coloured bridge that led to the world above. Massive golden spires emerged from the Earth and seemed to resonate with both technological advancements so far beyond the human comprehension that there was nothing else to do than call it magic. The spires seemed to be embedded in the world of Asgard itself as if it had always been there. It was almost impossible to tell what landscape had existed here before the Asgardians claimed their title of the dominant species of the planet. It seemed like they had always been here and would always continue to be long after.
It was probably a wonderful place to be on any other occasion. The buildings, though magnificent, were draped in black cloths to mark the time of mourning for the lost son of Odin. You were most perturbed by the fact that you had been here before, during your dreams when you finally saw the visions of your migraines. You had been here in the place called Tomorrowland. though formally called Asgard, several times.
But why were you drawn here out of every other place in the universe? You had been here dozens of times, attracted to some unknown force without reason, drawing you in. You wondered if the same force was perhaps related to the mind you had brushed across that had held you in its grasp, examined you out of curiosity, not for some malevolent use or purpose, but to know, to understand.
There was a sudden exclamation from a child next to you and you turned to notice Stark wrestling away a metallic ball from an Asgardian child. "Give it back!" The child protested as Stark attempted to shove the device into his pocket.
"Give it back to him," you scolded the child billionaire.
"Do you realise the fortune I could make if I took this back to Earth, took it apart and patented everything inside it? I could retire to the Bahamas and drown in alcohol and strippers for the rest of my life. I would be like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, though I could buy more strippers," Tony protested as you took the ball from his pocket and handed it to the child.
"I'm not sure Potts would be a fan of that plan," you smirked, watching as the child ran off with the ball, hooting as his friends gave chase. It was curious how easily the children of this world accepted the technology of their time, the way that the ball hovered above the ground and moved as the child did, guided by some internalized artificial intelligence to determine the playing strategies of the children. If such a common day object like a child's play toy held that much advancement, what else was on this strange world?
"Whatever." Stark rolled his eyes and continued to follow after Hogun and Volstagg. "I just want to get this stupid trip over with."
"It's not stupid!" You hissed in between your teeth, feeling somewhat annoyed by his arrogance. "Something is out there, something strong and deadly that's about to change the tides of the universe. I don't know how to explain it, but I can feel it, the energy in my veins can feel it. It killed Thor like he was nothing and it's going to squash us all like bugs if we do nothing but keel over. If Asgard knows something about it, it's in our best interest to find out."
"When did you get so stuck up?" Stark chuckled. "You remind me a lot more of your mother than your father - " His words halted as he saw the expression on your face, realizing instantly of the mistake he had made. Your parentage was often a sensitive topic, even with your father, let alone your mother.
"Hey kid, I'm sorry." Tony put a hand on your shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. You didn't reply, your mind clouded with memories from before. Of the fire, the figure in the dark, the flash of light, the change. You played with the necklace around your throat, rubbing the silver pendant. You had unconsciously rubbed it so many times that whatever writing had been inscribed on it was long lost, nothing more than a circular silver shape attached to a corded leather strip.
"It's fine." You gave Stark a reassuring smile to convince him that it was alright, that the events surrounding your mothers death had happened years ago, when you were so young that you shouldn't remember them, that in fact they had stuck in your mind like glue, replaying the instant some idiot brought them up. Oh how to god you wished he hadn't brought it up, right now of all times, when you were supposed to keep your cool, keep your emotions in check as you met with perhaps the most influential leader in all the worlds of the universe.
The four of you continued to walk in silence. You no longer preoccupied yourself by observing your surroundings but stared rather at the rainbow floor you walked upon, noting how translucent it seemed, like it was made of ice rather than the stone it felt to be.
Hogun and Volstagg stopped in their tracks, staring at two large golden doors that you assumed led to the throne room. "Odin can be rather strange," Hogun cleared his throat, him too looking nervous at the thought of approaching the king of Asgard, even if he had met him several times before. "His words often hold several truths and a multitude of lies. Only the cleverest can pick apart his words - "
"Well, lucky for me, that won't be a problem at all," Stark interrupted as he pushed past Hogun, rolling up his sleeves as he shoved the doors to the throne room open. "Sheesh, this place really needs redecorating!" He hollered, spinning around to look at the massive expanse of the throne room. You sheepishly followed after him, ducking to avoid the gazes of the guards that stared blankly back, ready to kill upon the command of their king.
The Asgardian throne room was a massive rectangular expanse, with several golden columns so tall that they seemed to touch the heavens above. There were paintings and mosaics scrawled atop the ceiling, depicting the history and founding of Asgard. As you neared towards the throne from which you saw Odin sit, the history bordered more recent times, if you counted a thousand years ago recent. You only considered them recent as this was the first time you saw Thor in any of these depictions.
There was a massive fight depicted on a mural to the left in a world that seemed very cold. Mangled and tortured bodies of strange blue-coloured creatures decorated the ground whilst the Asgardian army stood atop the corpses. Odin stood in the centre triumphantly, holding a single blue child in his arms in which a golden halo surrounded the infant's head.
From there you saw Thor, younger than how he had appeared on Earth, leading charges against armies. You saw him in relations with the human species on Earth, the Vikings, and other various battles. And at the very end, right above the throne, was the mural of the royal family. You saw Odin and a woman whom you assumed to be his wife, alongside Thor with his hammer raised above his head in triumph. A more slender figure stood to the left of Thor with his hands clasped to his chest in recitation of an unspoken prayer, crystal eyes staring into the unknown expanse ahead.
"Welcome, children of Midgard."
Tony's ego was halted for a moment as he looked up to view Odin. He did not appear as intimidating as you first believed him to be. You had half-expected a massive Viking brute similar to how Thor had been, but Odin appeared to lack any defining musculature. He would probably be winded just by eating a donut.
"I seem to remember requesting only one Envoy from Midgard," Odin continued, his golden eyes flickering from you back to Stark. "And yet here there are two, in direct disobedience against my orders. And you, Volstagg and Hogun - " The two immediately fell to their knees as they were addressed. "The two of you were well aware of this instruction and yet allowed two to come instead of one."
"My king," Hogun intervened, "if you will pardon my conjecture." Odin nodded for him to continue. "The Midgardians were very insistent that they came together. This was the situation we were given and instead of returning with no Envoy, we came with two."
"Very well." Odin turned his gaze back to Stark. "But do not think that your disobedience of my order gives any authority over my power. You are in Asgard now, not Midgard. Though we protect your world and all words in the Nine Realms, my rule holds true here most of all. Any direct disobedience of my orders or commands whilst you remain in my company for the time being will result in imprisonment. And the trials here are not as childish as the ones that are held on Earth."
"They're not very pleasant," a voice agreed.
Your gaze floated to a figure standing to the left of Odin, accompanied by several guards that held him in chains bound around his neck, hands and feet. He wore a dark green suit highlighted with grey seams around the edges and cuffs, which contradicted what one might expect a prisoner of Asgard would wear. His jet-black hair seemed greased to the sides of his head as his icy blue eyes flickered across the room in utter amusement, seeming completely unperturbed by the fact that he was kept in chains.
"Fancy meeting you here reindeer games," Stark nodded in the direction of the prisoner.
The Asgardian seemed angered by this and you put two and two together, realizing that this individual was most likely Loki if Stark was familiar with him. It would also make sense too, as this individual resembled the figure in the murals above, having been the brother to Thor.
"This is not the time for banter!" Odin roared and slammed his spear against the ground, creating a resounding echo that rumbled throughout the chamber. The act prompted the guards surrounding Loki to step forward and slam their boots into his side, forcing him to fall to his knees.
"Now you kneel," Stark chuckled and you jabbed him once in the side, pleading him to shut up for once in his life.
"Thor, my firstborn son, has died," Odin resumed, his voice restrained. "This is the matter in which you were summoned from Midgard, having been his closer advisors. You worked apart of a force that stopped evil and threats to your world, did you not? Well now there is a greater one in this universe, one with the force that we have not yet seen before. It killed my son and it is moving across the Nine Realms, leaving nothing but cold and death in its wake. We believe it will arrive in Asgard in a week's time and Midgard in a month."
"So why send for us?" It was your turn to ask the questions. Loki's gaze met yours and for a brief moment and you felt the life leave your veins, unaware if it was out of fear or exhilaration. "Why bother calling us if even your forces cannot hope to combat it? The Avengers, even if I'm not a part of them, can't do what Asgard cannot."
"You are (Y/n), are you not?" You felt your legs go numb as Odin mentioned your name. You could not dare fathom how the king of a planet millions of light years from your home knew your name, but you dared not intervene. "We have heard about you. Asgard tends to keep record of all the Formidable in the Nine Realms. Thor was even sent on a dispatch once shortly after your Incident to monitor you, to keep record of what sort of danger you may hold."
"Formidable?" You spat out the word, suddenly hating Odin, hating this place and the way that all the guards, everyone here seemed to know more about you than you did yourself. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you hold power, enough power to become a threat to the Nine Realms if used incorrectly," Odin replied coldly, his eyes seeming not to stare at you, but rather at what was inside of you. "You are a threat even if you choose not to believe it. I know that you feel limited because of your migraines, the adverse effects of using your powers, but you can still use your powers, if even for a short amount of time. And we received intelligence that your father, Bruce Banner, was working on a method to perhaps cure your migraines, meaning you could use your powers indefinitely. So yes, you are a formidable threat not only to Midgard but for all the Nine Realms."
"Do you plan on using me? Is that why you sent the request for an Envoy knowing that I'd be the one to volunteer? I hate to break it to you pal, but I don't have the kind of strength to defeat whatever the hell took down Thor. If it brushed him aside like he was nothing, I sure as hell can't defeat him."
"No," Odin replied. "That is not our use for you."
"Then what is it?" You spat, feeling anger and nausea mix inside of you.
"We knew you would come. Like I said before, you are a Formidable, a threat to the security of all the Nine Realms. Therefore, like all the other Formidables in the Nine Realms, you will find home in our dungeon for the time being until we can find a way to safely ensure that your powers are kept in check and cannot be used against us or any other worlds."
"There's no way in hell you're doing that," Stark spat, stepping in front of you. "We came here as Envoys, to help solve whatever the hell is going on, to figure out what killed Thor!"
"No, Stark," Odin chuckled. "You came here as the Envoy from Earth and brought the Formidable with you. They will make home in our dungeons whilst you cooperate with us."
"And what does Loki have to do with any of this?" Stark growled.
"Absolutely nothing," Odin grinned. "It was a mere ploy to bring you here rather than arranging the meeting on Earth. If Loki was seen as a vital key in this, there was no way your human rulers would allow him on Midgard. It brought you here under my dominion and the Formidable as well. And for that, I am grateful."
"I'm not going with you," you snarled, casting a wary glance at the guards that were closing in on you. You allowed a brief amount of energy to surge forward, violet electricity crackling around your fingertips. You knew this would result in a nasty migraine later but there was no way in hell you were letting them take you.
As the first guard moved forward, you shifted your weight to your feet and sprang above the ground, soaring over their heads and landing a few feet away. This caught the guards unawares as they turned around to face you. In the momentary confusion, you allowed the violet electricity in your hand to grow in strength and size before you slammed the crackling ball of energy into the ground, sending violet cracks snaking across the floor. A loud explosion resulted, sending several of the guards flying backwards.
You turned around to face the next wave of guards when one lowered a gun and aimed it at your neck. Before you could react, the trigger was pulled and a small metallic device implanted itself on your neck. As you took a step forward, allowing energy to surge forth to manifest into another deadly wave of attacks, the device began to beep and set a surge of electricity coursing down your spinal cord.
You shrank down to the ground, shrieking inaudibly as you begged for the pain to leave. You wanted the migraine to come now, to take your mind away from your body, away from the pain and into the universe beyond. You were aware that you were being dragged, that Stark was shouting above the chaos and confusion, promising that he would find you before he began delivering a few choice words at Odin.
But you were far away by then, being dragged into darkness, into a world of the pain and the unknown.