Loki's Daughter

The Death of A Guardian

Hela didn't know how she knew where the stone would be. Nevertheless, she knew exactly where it was. The Cold Stone's image was stuck in her mind. That twinkling little light that seemed to glow every color of the spectrum. Dangerous yet beautiful and tempting.

And that is how she found it. Lodged between two rocks beside a pond, it's faint glow sparkled and winked at her. Hela slowed in her sprint, her breathing rasped and her heart pounding. She'd made it!

She scrambled across the rocks and water, uncaring of the way the water made her trousers stick to her legs. Her fingers wrapped around the stone. It felt like an ice cube. Hela shuddered at the feeling as she tugged at it.

The twinkling little stone was stuck tightly. Hela huffed. "Come on," she whispered. Zeph would be coming soon, and Hela had to destroy it!

She felt exhausted. Her back burned and the stone made her fingers numb. Her entire body felt like lead. All she wanted to do was sleep. But she had to get this thing out.

Finally, the stone turned in between the rocks and came loose. Hela fell back into the water as she yanked it up, choking on the pond water as she came out. She coughed and spat, wiping her face. Her eyes traveled to the stone.

It was so beautiful. It was as if every color in the universe had been placed into the icy rock. It had no edges, it was smooth and round like a perfect marble. Slightly larger than a sand dollar, just as Zeph had said.

For a moment the colors mesmerized her. She blinked slowly. It was as if it spoke to her, "Take me," it whispered, "Run with me, take me away."

"No," Hela mumbled. "It has to be destroyed!"

"Afraid I can't let you do that," said a voice from behind.

Hela whirled around to meet a pair of silver eyes on the bank of the pond. Zeph stood, eyes narrowed dangerously, and dagger in hand. His usual calm and handsome features looked wild and untamed. He had an animalistic glint in those eyes. He looked crazed.

"I know what you want to do," Hela declared softly, "I know you want to destroy the earth. But-"

"Silence!" Zeph shouted. "You know nothing!" His voice was like venom spitting at Hela. "The earth is not my target. I am its protector. Humans are the enemy I wish to destroy."

Hela was struck to silence at his sudden outburst. Again, that gleam of untamed fury flickered in the man's eyes. A look of pure animalistic rage. She stiffened.

Zeph stayed quiet for a long moment. The moment passed and he seemed to gain his composure again. His face became calm and collected once more. He took a deep breath.

"Humans have made a wreck of what I was meant to protect. My brother was soft on them. He allowed it to happen. But I will not stand by as he did. I will destroy them, and I will protect the world as I was meant to. It is my birthright!" Now there was no anger, only determination. A cold, dreadful determination that shook Hela to the bone.

"The humans aren't bad," Hela whispered, "They're good people. Nobody's perfect, but they're still good. People make mistakes. But there are so many nice people." She frowned, and found herself moving towards the bank of the pond.

The man scoffed. He shook his head and backed away, as if allowing her room to come to the bank. Hela walked towards the bank and climbed out of the water, happy that Zeph had backed away to allow her room.

He spoke again. "Those are the words of a child," he replied scornfully. "Those are the words of a dreamer." His eyes narrowed harshly at the young girl and he scowled. "I am a guardian of Midgard. No, I am the last guardian of Midgard."