Chapter 16 #2
Hel shrugged, making her ebony hair shimmer in the firelight.
"I spoke to my boss and got special permission to leave my realm.
I've never seen him excited about the prospect of someone coming into his realm. He’s never met a fire giant before.
And you… Well, your reputation precedes you.
You've eluded me for too long, Surtr. Your reign is over. "
For the first time, fear crossed Surtr’s heavy features.
"Go with her," said Thor. "Or we will make you go."
Surtr licked his lips. "Thadren, ready your men."
Thadren looked at Elle and then Thor's family.
“Wait," Elle blurted.
All eyes turned to her. She looked straight at Thadren. "As heir to the throne, I will give you Muspelheim, all of it, if you do nothing."
"You have no right to offer that," said Surtr.
"I do. When you leave for Helheim, I will be in charge. And as your successor, I have the right to abdicate the throne and to give it to whomever I deem the strongest and best to lead your people. And I choose Thadren."
Thadren looked as if he were calculating his options. “You do not want the throne?”
“No,” said Elle.
He studied her for a moment and then looked at Thor. “You choose him?”
She nodded.
Thadren’s expression fell for a fraction of a moment. He said something Val couldn’t hear and then ran a gentle finger down her cheek before pulling his hand away. His expression hardened, and he looked at Surtr. "We will not fight."
Surtr bellowed a guttural roar that reverberated through the cavernous hall.
His fiery eyes blazed with unrelenting fury.
With a deafening crash, he launched himself at Thadren, the massive blade in his hand gleaming like liquid fire.
The ground quaked beneath his weight as he closed the distance in two thunderous strides.
"Thadren! No!" Elle's voice rang out, hands trembling as she summoned her magic.
Her chest heaved with exertion, her fingers tingling with raw energy that begged to be unleashed.
Her power coursed through her veins, hot and wild.
She raised her hands and thrust them forward, releasing a crackling surge of violent energy that illuminated the hall in an otherworldly glow.
“Damn,” said Loki. “Why were you protecting her all this time? Looks like she can take care of herself.
“Because she can’t control her powers. She hasn’t learned how yet. Trust me, I have more than one scar to prove it, and so do the walls of her old bedroom.”
Elle pulled her arms back, then threw them forward. Ropes wrapped around Surtr's torso, pinning his arms down and dropping him to the floor.
Surtr roared as he struggled against the magical bindings. His movements violent but futile. Each attempt to break free only tightened the ropes further. He stumbled under their weight before collapsing onto the cold floor with a crash.
“You were saying?” Loki cocked an eyebrow at her.
Val gaped in surprise.
"You think this will hold me forever?" he sneered.
"They may not burn you, but they cannot be broken."
"Let me out of these, or I'll kill you," Surtr yelled.
Elle closed her hand and turned her wrist. The ropes tightened against Surtr, and he struggled to breathe.
Without warning, one of the giant goats reared back and head-butted Surtr, sending him flying into the stone wall. Surtr crumpled, and the other goat kicked him in the stomach.
“Wow,” said Val. “You don’t happen to have two giant goats, do you?”
Loki smiled. “I don’t need goats. I’m my own giant.”
Surtr groaned and rolled on his back. "I'll eat both of you and break all your bones, so you can't come back," he roared at the goats.
Hel pushed the goats aside with ease.
"All right, you giant walking sweaters, I can handle things from here." She stopped over Surtr and lowered her trident to his chest.
He flexed against the ropes, and one of them snapped. "I will kill you, daughter."
Hel pressed her trident into his chest as another rope snapped.
Surtr yelled out, and Elle threw more fiery ropes at him. The new ropes sprouted clawed hooks at the ends and bit into Surtr's skin.
"Don't worry," said Hel. "I got this." She turned to Surtr. "Surtr, king of the fire giants. Murderer of Asgardians. I, Hel, daughter of Loki and Goddess of Death, do hereby commit you to the depths of Helheim, as a prisoner. Never again to hurt anyone."
Before Surtr protested, Hel pressed the trident into his chest. It passed through him and hit the floor below. Surtr screamed in agony as the black smoke encircled him. It started at his chest and swirled outward until he was cocooned. Elle's ropes disappeared under their inky depths.
A giant black pit opened in the floor, and he dropped through.
The stones of the floor rolled back into place, and the black smoke sucked back into Hel's trident and snaked up her arm and disappeared into her dress.
“Remind me to never piss off your daughter,” said Val.
Loki chuckled. “Nah. I think you could take her.”
Val shook her head. Was he delusional?
Hel turned to Thor. "I believe that concludes my reason for being here, yes?"
Thor nodded. "Thank you, cousin."
Hel smiled. "No. Thank you. I haven't had this much fun since.
.. forever. And now I go to make sure Surtr is completely uncomfortable in his new abode.
" She winked at Elle. "Be sure to come visit me when you have time.
I'd love to pick your brain about the best ways to torture him.
" Hel backed through a shadowy portal and disappeared before Elle answered.
No one moved for several seconds as they stared at the spot where Surtr had lain. Then Thor rushed to Elle.
Baldur pushed to the front of the group and looked around. "Is that it?"
"No fighting?" Vidarr moaned.
"Man, I got all dressed up and have nowhere to go," said Hermódr. "This armor isn't easy to get on."
"Perhaps the new fire giant king will allow us to spar with some of his men, so it isn't a total waste," said Hodr.
The group looked at Thadren.
"Of course," Thadren offered. "Anything we can do to heal relations with the Asgardians."
"Can we kill them?" Fenrir growled.
"No!" everyone said together.
"You lot really have gone soft." Fenrir stalked to the door and ran out.
Loki looked at Val and smiled. “Shall we?”
“After you.”
“No, my love, after you. You show me which ones hurt you in your time here, and I will make sure they suffer.”
Val couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “The more you make them suffer, the more I’ll give you to enjoy when we get home.”
Loki produced his blades and grinned. “Then they will suffer unimaginably.”