KnightDisciple Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Fenris is tired enough to not be fazed by Thrude's rant, though he takes a half-step back when she started advancing on him. "Hey, I'd rather not throw down in the middle of a crowded city, leastways not with a big meta-wolf that can do this." He gestured at the icy destruction around them. "And no, we mortals didn't suffer under the hands of those folks." He paused, then said the words the others were probably dreading. "Instead, plenty of innocents died under the booted heel of your own father, as he joined some of the worst monsters in history. Bound to a mortal or no, it was Donar who fought for them, not Loki." He turned his back on her and went to search for more wounded, intending to make a final sweep of the buildings. "Whatever. Dok's right, there's more important things to worry about than wounded pride."
N/A Posted May 25, 2011 Author Posted May 25, 2011 Fatigue and befuddlement began to overtake righteous indignation, both in Thrude's mind and on her face. [bg=#000080]"...What are you people TALKING about? First, you claim the Aesir abandoned you, and now you say Thor Odinson, Giant-Slayer, your greatest protector, was a tyrant?"[/bg] She halted her advance, turning rapidly back and forth between the assembled heroes. [bg=#000080]"'Bound to a mortal?' What MORTAL has the power to bind the mighty Thor? What mortal would DARE TRY? Have time and distance distorted the old stories so completely that you think up is down and dark is light?"[/bg]
Avenger Assembled Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Freedom Angel was silent as the storm of words raged over him for a moment, listening both to Fenris and Thrude with patient attentiveness. When there was a moment's peace in the inferno, he fearlessly put his hand on Fenris' shoulder and looked the man in the eye, his gaze seeming to find Magnus' face underneath the metal. "Brother, this young woman has done her best here to battle against the terrible power of an ancient evil. She has given of her very flesh to do so. The Greeks have the parable of the man in the river who drowns while people on the bank call him foolish for swimming. Be not that man, my brother. Let us help this girl heal her wounds, and learn the full truth of the fate of her family and her people, before you pass judgement on her. Neither you nor I are without sin." To Thrude, though she was all the raging fury of the storm, he said simply, "Daughter of Donar, the truth I have to tell you is fantastic, but you must believe it. If you know of the Logos and its speakers, then you know I do not speak falsehoods to you." He gave her a calm, level look, even as he offered her part of his tunic to help bind up her eye. "In ancient days, the worship of the old gods faded. As those who worshipped the Asgardians found new ways, Odin, like Ra, Svarog, and the other Skyfathers, chose to leave the Earth and let Man find his own destiny, bound as he was by the ancient pacts of Simon Magus not to interfere directly when not summoned to Earth." He eyed Thrude and added, "Time passed. In what you would call Germania, a monstrous ruler named Adolf Hitler seized power and began to work terrible, fell acts of sorcery among his many Earthly horrors. His magi used black magic to bind the spirit of your father to a mortal man, enslaving Donar to the service of foul men. When mortal mystics finally freed the Thunderer from his chains, Odin chose to pull up the rainbow bridge rather than risk any more of his sons and daughters being violated by the power of mortal magic." His face was full of all sympathy. "While I am not a child of the Asgardians, even...even we of Heaven believe that Donar and his brothers love their children. He will surely welcome you as his liver returned to his body. If you are able to travel home, take the chance. Your family awaits you there." He snorted, and added, "Thanks to my mistake in taking his pride as greater than his evil, your dire enemy awaits you there, and I tell you the truth, should you fight him again I hope you strike him one for myself and these others. Go, and fight your war where it should be fought."
N/A Posted May 25, 2011 Author Posted May 25, 2011 [bg=#000080]"Thank you."[/bg] The Daughter of Storms took Heyzel's cloth with one hand, and grasped his forearm in a greeting with her other. She tied the cloth around her head, angled over her ruined eye, as he spoke. [bg=#000080]"I do indeed know of your Christ-God. I know that his opposite number is called the 'Prince of Lies,' because your god and his messengers speak only truth. A truth even the Teutonic wizard before us does not deny."[/bg] The fire in her azure eye blurred and faded. Her shoulders sagged, and she spoke in a monotone. [bg=#000080]"How many? How many people of Midgard did my father put to the sword? For how long was he yoked to the will of this 'Hitler?' How long have these people languished, bereft of the protection of the Aesir, because we were too ashamed to show our faces upon this realm?"[/bg]
Dr Archeville Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Archeville shifted uneasily at the angel's words, as most do when uncomfortable truths are revealed (something his fellow Leaguer seemed to specialize in). He had spent much of his life fighting against those monsters and their legacies, partly out of true love for his country and all the positive contributions its people have made, but more from guilt at his grandfather's roles in their atrocities. But she does not know that, so maybe she will not lash out at me! "The... 'angel' speaks truth," Archeville admitted, still finding it hard to use that label (though in this case the shortcut was acceptable), and finding it equally hard to look Thrude in the eye. But look her in the eye he did, because, for all his faults and shortcomings, Viktor Archeville did not let shame rule over him. (Plus, he wanted a good look at her eyesocket, to see if anything could be salvaged.) "The madmen who overran my country were not content to shackle men -- they shackled gods as well. I know not how, but they did, and they killed millions... not just other soldiers, but... but..." He shook his head, cleared his throat, "I do not know how many fell by your father's hand, in the six years he was forced in bondage to them, but I do know that in time he was freed, and many of the madmen involved -- including the one whom Donar was bound to -- were executed for their atrocities. I work to protect humanity from the legacies of those madmen, and restore the honor of my countrymen," he proclaimed, straightening a bit, "As a counter to my associate's offer," he nodded towards Freedom Angel, "I would invite you to remain here, and do the same for your people." Whatever they are!
KnightDisciple Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Freedom Angel was silent as the storm of words raged over him for a moment, listening both to Fenris and Thrude with patient attentiveness. When there was a moment's peace in the inferno, he fearlessly put his hand on Fenris' shoulder and looked the man in the eye, his gaze seeming to find Magnus' face underneath the metal. "Brother, this young woman has done her best here to battle against the terrible power of an ancient evil. She has given of her very flesh to do so. The Greeks have the parable of the man in the river who drowns while people on the bank call him foolish for swimming. Be not that man, my brother. Let us help this girl heal her wounds, and learn the full truth of the fate of her family and her people, before you pass judgement on her. Neither you nor I are without sin."Fenris gave Freedom Angel a cold stare in return. "But those who dare call themselves "gods" should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one. Do not presume to order me, "angel"." [bg=#000080]"Thank you."[/bg] The Daughter of Storms took Heyzel's cloth with one hand, and grasped his forearm in a greeting with her other. She tied the cloth around her head, angled over her ruined eye, as he spoke. [bg=#000080]"I do indeed know of your Christ-God. I know that his opposite number is called the 'Prince of Lies,' because your god and his messengers speak only truth. A truth even the Teutonic wizard before us does not deny."[/bg] The fire in her azure eye blurred and faded. Her shoulders sagged, and she spoke in a monotone. [bg=#000080]"How many? How many people of Midgard did my father put to the sword? For how long was he yoked to the will of this 'Hitler?' How long have these people languished, bereft of the protection of the Aesir, because we were too ashamed to show our faces upon this realm?"[/bg]He turned slowly to face Thrude once more. His next words came out cold and precise, in clipped tones that spoke of a horrible truth. "While bound as a warrior of the Third Reich, Donar the Thunderer killed...9,565 soldiers and 2 superheroes. The overall organization he was a part of caused overall deaths in the millions. Estimates put total civilian and military casualties for both sides at somewhere between 62 and 78 million. Of note, the Nazi regime in particular focused on the Jews, killing roughly 6 to 7 million of them in all manner of horrific ways. Several million others were killed for various "undesirable" traits. He was bound for approximately 6 years, from the start of the major portions of the conflict, to the very end of the war. As for how long the so-called "Norse gods" have not been widely worshiped, and have not "graced" the earth? It started several centuries ago; today, there's perhaps a few thousand worshipers. You can thank Birdman's boss for that one." He gave an exaggerated shrug. "Even he's not as big of a deal these days, I guess. I dunno. Don't much care for any of it."
N/A Posted May 25, 2011 Author Posted May 25, 2011 Thrude's mouth hung halfway open as she stared off into space. Her grip slackened, dropping her great hammer beneath the snow. She fell to her knees, hitting the ground right behind it. [bg=#000080]"Six YEARS...Seventy-eight MILLION...No wonder the people of Midgard turned to Yahweh..."[/bg] A single tear slid down her cheek from her one remaining eye. [bg=#000080]"You also speak truth, Northman. The gods should indeed be held to the highest standards of all, for it is to us that all others look for example and inspiration."[/bg] She slowly rose to her feet. [bg=#000080]"The Aesir NEVER should have left. MY FATHER never should have left. The people of Midgard would have hated them, would have spit on them and cursed their name. And they should have stayed and TAKEN IT and KEPT DOING THEIR DUTY. But they did not. They abandoned this world, just as the Winter-Wulf said they did. Every horrible thing he said about my people, it was all true."[/bg] Thrude trudged over to the foot of the World-Tree, where the gigantic root burrowed into the snow-covered asphalt. [bg=#000080]"So I will take it."[/bg] She raised the mighty Vendrvapn over her head. It morphed back into an axe mid-swing as she brought it crashing down on Yggdrasil's root. A bolt of lightning crashed down from the clouds to strike the root in the same exact spot as her axe, at the same exact time. [bg=#000080]"I will stay, and I will fight, and I will take it."[/bg] She pried her great axe from the World-Tree's root, and then brought it crashing back down, again and again. Every time, the lightning came down with it, burning and shattering the bark of the great tree. [bg=#000080]"As long as I draw breath, this world will remain under the protection of the Aesir. Any monster or tyrant who threatens the people of Midgard will fall before my blade, and if I fall, it will be with that monster's head at my feet or that tyrant's heart in my hand."[/bg] She hacked away at the tree to punctuate each oath. [bg=#000080]"Let the sins of my family be mine to atone for. Let the screams of eighty million innocent souls harry me with every step I take. Because I will not hide nor flee. I will not lay down my arms so long as I can lift them. And I will take it."[/bg] With one last swing, Thrude sundered the root connecting the World-Tree to Midgard. There was a bright flash in every color of the rainbow, like looking into the heart of a supernova. Then the severed root incinerated itself, crumbling instantly to ash and dust. The colossal tree collapsed and dissolved back into the streets and buildings which had formed it. Thrude stared up into the clouds. [bg=#000080]"I will take it."[/bg]
Avenger Assembled Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Of course, the Creator had withdrawn from Creation well before the conversion of the Northmen, thought Freedom Angel. Thrude's worshippers abandoned her people without any overt help from the Lord. But best not to dwell on that fact. He listened, impressed, at Thrude's words, nodding in satisfaction at the choice she had made. "You make the hard choice, Donarssdaughter. I am sure he would be pleased at thy humanity." And perhaps, Heyzel finally admitted to himself, I have been wrong about the Asgardians, or at least, wrong about them as a rule rather than individually. "Come," he said, exhaling a breath that exploded into mist in the air. "The guardians of this dimension will no doubt soon find you and have words about the ancient pacts and what led you to this place. Meet them fed and rested. And in the meantime..." The angel raised his flaming sword high and shouted to the sky: "THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!" His sword flared almost impossibly bright, and the storm faded, the sunlight breaking through the clouds as they melted away beneath the Light. "Viktor," he asked, "I believe as my fellow Leaguer, you can both follow our mutual duties and entertain our guest in this dimension?"
Dr Archeville Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 "Indeed so," he said with a nod to the angel and a slight lifting to his voice. He turned back to Thrude, smiled as warmly as he could, and offered his right hand to her, "if you would allow, I will treat your wounds, and provide you with food, drink, and a place to rest for the night. I can also provide you with news about the world, and how it has changed since last you set foot on it." If the myths and legends are any indication, I should have enough beer in my cellar to satisfy her, though I would want to check for concussions first. Plenty of chicken and pork in the fridge... though I suppose I could order a roast boar, from that place back home, and 'port it in. "And for longer term lodgings, I am sure I can find several options for you." As the words left his mouth, one option sprung to mind, a place housing homeless metahumans with PR problems, and where he had some pull. The Interceptor's Brownstone! Of course! I bet she and Erik would get along fabulously!
KnightDisciple Posted May 26, 2011 Posted May 26, 2011 Fenris watched impassively as Thrude hacked away at the World Tree. Cutting off her route home. All so she could prove she and her kind weren't as bad as he thought. 'Except, it's still a pride thing, isn't it? She's mad because we don't revere and worship them. Because we don't "acknowledge the gifts they gave us". Bah. Who needs the gods? Any of them? Especially a bunch of drunken barbarians who championed violent raiders who pillaged the lands?' That his own ancestors likely included some of those same raiders conveniently escaped his contemplations. "I'll give you this, Thrude. You stick to your guns. You want to provide a stand-up example for the Norse gods, hm? Well, have fun with that. We'll see how successful it is." He turned slightly to face FA, giving him a simple nod. "Angel." He then turned towards Dok A, giving a slight bow. "Doktor." With that, he turned and started jogging off, before suddenly accelerating in a flash of white light, heading off somewhere else.
Avenger Assembled Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 "Good. We will talk again, Donar's daughter." The angel looked away for a moment, and was ready to fly away before he turned to Thrude again. "You have found the good fight today, and suffered grievously for it. You have faced a great loss, and pledged to work beyond it. This is good; this is virtue, and I am pleased. But make no mistake, daughter of Donar. The world of men has moved beyond the ancient gods. Spread the word of your people by your deeds if you do. But such as you and I make no temples these days. That is for men to make, not us. If you fall from that trust, and revive the worship of the old gods, then...well, it will not be me you have to worry about." And with that, and a thrust of wings, the angel of Freedom took to the sky again as the summer sun came out above.
N/A Posted May 27, 2011 Author Posted May 27, 2011 "THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!" His sword flared almost impossibly bright, and the storm faded, the sunlight breaking through the clouds as they melted away beneath the Light. "You have found the good fight today, and suffered grievously for it. You have faced a great loss, and pledged to work beyond it. This is good; this is virtue, and I am pleased. But make no mistake, daughter of Donar. The world of men has moved beyond the ancient gods. Spread the word of your people by your deeds if you do. But such as you and I make no temples these days. That is for men to make, not us." The young goddess let her axe rest on the ground for a few moments, leaning on the haft with one hand while clutching her broken ribs with the other. She gasped for air as the shaft of heavenly sunlight pierced the clouds and the last remnants of the World-Tree's root blew away in the fading wind. [bg=#000080]"Your Christ-God has grown mighty indeed in my absence. I will keep to my oaths and defend this world, Messenger. If the other gods have pulled up the Rainbow Bridge, then that means my sisters no longer offer the fallen warriors of Midgard a place in Valhall nor Folkvangr, and nor shall I. I will let the mortals tell whatever stories and say whatever prayers they wish, as we have always done. It is not the way of the Aesir to demand fealty, only to earn it."[/bg] "I'll give you this, Thrude. You stick to your guns. You want to provide a stand-up example for the Norse gods, hm? Well, have fun with that. We'll see how successful it is." Thrude muttered in the Baron's native Swedish, even though she knew it unlikely that he heard her reply. [bg=#000080]""[/bg] she scowled after him as he withdrew. [bg=#000080]""[/bg] "if you would allow, I will treat your wounds, and provide you with food, drink, and a place to rest for the night. I can also provide you with news about the world, and how it has changed since last you set foot on it. And for longer term lodgings, I am sure I can find several options for you." Thrude took as deep a breath as she could muster, then heaved Vendrvapn over her shoulder and slid its ebony haft through the cylinder of hardened leather, bound by metal and bolted to the armored plate above her shoulder blade, which served as its scabbard. She limped over to Doktor Archeville and grasped his forearm, shaking it in a gesture of greeting. [bg=#000080]""[/bg] she replied in his native German. [bg=#000080]"
Dr Archeville Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 Oh, this is going to be fun! But first, let us start with a small correction. "Allow me, please," he replied, smiling. Connecting his wand-like Electromagnetic Screwdriver to its port on the glowing Gravimetric Belt, he gave his teleportation system enough processing capability and power to carry both of them and her wonder-weapon. "Though you should know that, in this day and age, I am called a Scientist, not a Wizard." I wonder if she has ever experienced anything like this? The sensation was not unfamiliar to her. At first it felt like the charge in the air that preceded a thunderstorm. A pinprick of grey-blue light appeared between them, which rapidly expanded to completely engulf them, then just as quickly shrank back down into nothing. When she could see again, they were in a different place: the wizard's study (his CEO office at ArchTech). Before her, a great glass wall, looking out upon the city below; at a guess she would say they were over 200 feet in the air (12th floor). Before the great window, an equally great desk, with a high-backed chair behind it, and two smaller ones before. On the left wall, numerous large tomes, and a small alchemical workspace (the wet bar), with another group of chairs, a couch, and a small table between. Set into the right wall were numerous flat, square scrying crystals (tv screens), each showing a different image. Some showed scenes from the site of their battle, while some showed other parts of the world, scenes of conflict or of tribal chieftans meeting to broker deals (local & global news). A few displayed some murky underwater realm (live feeds from the super-submarine), one showed a starry night sky (live feed from the satellite). And one showed the earth as from the view of a bird, though this bird must be higher than any she had ever seen! (also a live feed from the satellite, which is over South America.) Behind her, a grand set of dark wood double doors. "If you would sit here, please," he indicated the couch, "while I gather what I need to tend your injuries." I could have brought her down to one of the medical sections... but I want to treat and scan her myself! Fortunately, I have everything I should need right up here, since I so often tend my own injuries in this room when I do some between-meetings crime-stopping!
N/A Posted May 27, 2011 Author Posted May 27, 2011 Moments after Doktor Archeville arrived in his study, his receptionist ran in. "Herr Doktor! There are visitors waiting for you. They arrived about two minutes ago, and claim their business is most urgent-" "We will show ourselves in, thank you." Two men covered in royal blue cloaks darted into the room. One was a few inches taller than the other, with a streak of white through his jet-black hair. The others features were mostly obscured by his hood and the matching domino mask he wore beneath it. Both men wore tunics and trousers emblazoned with various ancient symbols of arcane power and adorned with similar brooches and jewelry. Doktor Archeville recognized the taller man from their first meeting, the genesis of the Knights of Freedom, but he introduced himself nonetheless. "I am Eldritch, Master-Mage of Earth, and this is The Gatekeeper of The Multiverse. We thank you, Viktor Archeville, for isolating the rogue Aesir. Now we shall take her into custody, learn how and why she violated our agreement with her family, and return her from whence she came." Both men raised their hands toward Thrude and began to chant under their breath. Their hands started to glow...
Dr Archeville Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 Oh crud "No!," he blurted out, reflexively brandishing his Screwdriver. "That is," he lowered the gadget, holding up one hand in a gesture of 'calm the heck down,' "I was on the scene, I can answer your questions." Should have let Freedom Angel handle... No! I can do this! He looked both mages in the eye before voicing his defense, laying on all the charm he could muster. "She was bound in some pocket dimension, along with the Fenris Wolf, for a long time. Centuries, at least, based on how surprised she and the Wolf were to learn that the Aesir had left this dimension, and of the..." His mind raced to find an appropriately neutral term, "widespread popularity of Christianity. And when she learned what the Nazis did in the name of the Aesir, of what the ubersoldaten known as Donar did," he glanced at her then back at the mages, "she vowed to restore their honor. Her people's honor. Which is something I can certainly appreciate." She deserves a chance! "Now, smart as I am," he continued, "I know I am clueless about a lot of what you people do. But I do know people who are knowledgeable about such matters, such as Weissehexe, the White Witch of Germany, and Heyzel, the Angel of Freedom, and Phantom, the Chosen of Heshem. From them I know of the arrangement made by your predecessors and the ultrater- the gods," he 'corrected,' attempting to keep this on their level, "to let humanity develop on its own. And I am sure that, as with any other contract, there are loopholes in this 'Pact' which wise men such as yourselves could employ in order for this woman to remain here and do the good and heroic works she so dearly wishes to do." I wish I had listened to Taylor more when the Knights were together!
N/A Posted May 27, 2011 Author Posted May 27, 2011 The injured goddess rested her hand on Doktor Archeville's shoulder, then gently pushed him back and limped in front of him, trying in vain to suppress the grimace her face contorted into with every movement. Her weapon remained sheathed. [bg=#000080]"Thank you, kind Wizard, for pleading my case my eloquently than I ever could. Master Magus, I know of your office, if not of you personally. When last I walked upon Midgard, 'twas Merlin Half-Demon who wore the Medallion of the Modrossus. 'Tis true, what the Teuton claims. My former uncle did use his foul sorcery to trap me, with his own get, in a prison beyond Space or Time, and it was not by my power nor my agency that our prison was breached." "Nor was it by my power that the paths to the World-Tree were reopened; that was the Messenger of Yahweh's doing. He provided the Fenrir an escape from Midgard, so that he would shed no more mortal blood. Outnumbered, the cowardly abomination took that opportunity." "It was my power, however, which sundered the link once more. I have sworn to protect Midgard and all its peoples, and would ask that you make of me an oathbreaker. But I know by your vestments that this world already claims you as protectors, so I will not fight you this day."[/bg]
N/A Posted May 27, 2011 Author Posted May 27, 2011 With each sentence spoken, a soft blue light pulsed from within the gem set into the Master Mage's silver brooch. Eldritch glanced back and forth between Thrude, Doktor Archeville, and The Gatekeeper. Then the two sorcerers turned from the heroes and stared motionlessly at each other for a minute, carrying on a silent debate to which the assembled heroes were no longer invited. Finally, they broke the tense silence. "All the considerable means at our disposal for separating truth from falsehood confirm your stories, and the accounts of the witnesses, mundane and supernatural alike. The good Doktor is correct. You cannot be held to an agreement which you had no part in making, and you are innocent of the wrongdoing, accidental or intentional, which precipitated it." "Very well, Thrude, child of Thor and Sif, grandchild of Odin and Gaea, Daughter of Storms, Chooser of The Slain, Princess of Asgard. You were brought to the mortal world by mortal hands, and so long as you choose to remain here, as a protector rather than a threat, you alone among your people shall be welcome in Midgard. Redemption is a rare opportunity, in this world or any other. Do not waste it." The sorcerers nodded to Archeville, and then vanished in a flash of light and a puff of smoke.
Dr Archeville Posted May 27, 2011 Posted May 27, 2011 Ah, I should have mentioned the tree thing! Oh, well -- important thing is, we did it! Archeville let out a huge sigh, a mix of relief and exasperation at having to deal with all this 'magic.' But getting to the science behind all this could wait: for now, he had a very injured woman to tend. He turned and gave a small smile and a shrug, and gestured back to the couch. "And now that that is over, let me take a look at those ribs. And collarbone. And throat. And eye... socket. And while I do, I shall tell you of the world. You are now in a place called Freedom City, in the United States of America, about... twelve hundred leagues from Scandinavia. The year, as the modern reckoning goes, is 2011, a thousand years after Erik the Red and Leif Ericson drew breath. Ah, wait, no, they were probably after your time. 4500 years after the Sphinx was- ah, you have no idea what Ancient Egyptian architecture is. This is going to be trickier than I thought."
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