Before the fall of Asgard…
(Ganesha narrates.)
“The Divine race… those who have ascended beyond the understanding of mortals. These beings are commonly referred to as Gods. Over the centuries, legends and entire religions have been centered around these Ascended. Some were born this way via being children of Titans or simply the product of other Ascended. And some clawed their way to ascension. Sometimes and more commonly nowadays, both must occur. We Ascended have rules that don’t necessarily follow common laws of biology. Though biology is important, it isn’t as defining as it is with mortals. Allow me to try to explain. If a God is killed they return to the earth as another form of life. I word it this way because they don’t even always return in human form. From the moment they are reborn the mortal clock starts ticking. For if they do not ascend by the end of their mortal life, their soul will be lost in the endless void. Success however, means that Ascended can return to this life as if their death never occurred”….
The inside of a prestige and glorious colosseum is graced over as Ganesha speaks. The crowed seems invested in the events occurring in the center. Two men in Nordic armor do battle. One notably has a long braided beard and is wearing an eyepatch over his right eye, he wields a golden spear with an eye imprinted on the blade. The other seems to be missing a right hand yet, he still swings around a blade that is about five feet in length and three feet from one cutting edge to the other as if it weighed nothing at all. As these two figures do battle the large elephant-human hybrid sits next to a blonde boy with similar garb to the men fighting. The boy seems more invested in the match than the larger elephant faced man in long flowing robes.
“Come on father! Don’t go easy on him just because he’s missing a hand”! The blonde boy cheered enthusiastically with a widening grin.
“Are you paying attention Thor”? The elephant man asked his eyes never actually leaving the bout between the two men.
“Yeah yeah Ganeshah! I hope I’m as sharp as father when I’m his age”! The boy retorted as he stayed in a celebratory pose.
Ganesha chuckled. “I wasn’t talking about the match Thor… but you should aspire to be the best you can be, not try to compare yourself to your father. I was talking about reincarnation. Even the strongest Ascended go through it at some point, like your father’s friend Tyr… and the ‘a’ at the end is silent”. He said calmly as he continued to focus on the match.
“Father said when he went away this time that he had to ‘guide Tyr back’. What does that mean”? Thor asked as his attention went to Ganesha.
“When a god is reincarnated, the new mortal form tends to have no knowledge of its previous life. Your father found his mortal form and showed him the way to ascension.”Ganesha responded as he patiently watched the match.
“That sounds like your type of thing. How come you didn’t do it”? Thor asked turning his attention to the one handed man falling to the ground.
“I’ve been the guide to several ascensions but, gods respond to souls they recognize. The closer they were in their previous life, the more likely they are to respond. And that isn’t always me”. Ganesha came back with slowly.
“I hope I get to be that person for father someday”. Thor boomed proudly as he watched the end of the match.
The bearded man approached the fallen opponent and offered to his good hand a strong dominant hand. He accepted the assist to his feet. The victor raised his friend’s hand into the air. “Tyr has returned”! He bellowed and the crowds applause deafened any other sound to follow for several seconds.
~years later-earth-
An adult Thor clad in a blonde man bun, and a rugged beard, walks the sidewalks of what appears to be a small town. He wore clothes more suitable to fit in with people of Earth. They were a blue hoodie and simple blue jeans. He is accompanied by another large man. This man wears a white tank top that is so tight on him, it looked as though if he flexed at all the shirt wouldn’t be able to handle it. This is accompanied by a pair of what appears to be swim trunks with lightning bolts on them.
The pair entered a workout facility by the name of ‘Champion’s build’ written in big golden letters above the entrance.
Inside a boxing match between two young ladies is fierce in progress with only a handful of spectators. The girl in blue shorts is a blonde with her lengthy locks put up for the fight. The girl in red has ear length black hair with a scar across her face. Their battle already in heated progress as the pair trade blows.
Adult Thor and his companion speak to each other as if no one else can hear them. Thor watched the match intensely. His company shadow boxes with a excited expression overwhelming his face like he’s really involved with the match.
“You sure that’s your old man? Looks like another hot blonde with a great ass to me, plus she has both her eyes”. The more energetic of the two said nudging Thor playfully with his elbow.
“You know as well as I do Hercules, reincarnation isn’t straightforward. We don’t return in the same body. They might not even remember... She might not remember me or my brothers”. Thor said solemnly his eyes locked onto the match. A sort of calculation rolling around in his mind.
“She apparently remembers how to fight, look at her putting Bellona in the corner”. Hercules points at the fight with a growing energy evident from his inability to hold still.
As Hercules said this the blonde had pushed the darker haired girl in the corner and no matter how she struggled the blonde kept her in that corner. The darker haired girl’s eyes started glowing red as she flailed her arms knocking The blonde’s fists away for only for a moment as red boxing gloves began launching at the blonde. This burst of power was enough for The girl in blue to loose her momentum and Bellona the edge to claw out of the corner.
“You got it babe! Show no mercy! Woooooo”! Hercules cheered flailing his arms about in excitement.
A smile washed up on Thor’s lips as he watched Hercules cheer for the darker haired girl instead of who they were there to test. ‘Go ahead Dad... show me you’re in there and win’. He thought as he watched the two women do battle. His face twisted out of uncertainty of the outcome.
The two women traded blows even with the dark haired woman tapping into a strange Divine strength. The blonde didn’t even seem to notice the change in strength and fought on simply enjoying her time in the ring. Boom! One final blow landed. The crowd fell silent as the dark haired woman hit the mat and hard. Her eyes faded to their usual forest green color. She then smiled and rolled her head back letting the countdown occur ending the match with the blonde’s victory.
“And the winner is!.. Hanna Tougard”! The announcer’s voice boomed with the chime of the bell.
The blonde known as Hanna jumped around enthusiastically as she celebrated her victory. She then ran to her opponent who was shrugging off the referee’s attempt to help her up. Hanna offered her hand to help her and this hand she accepted. Being pulled up to her feet by the blonde powerhouse was somehow redeeming for her. That was until the big muscular Demigod known as Hercules turned her around and kissed her. The dark haired girl didn’t resist him but she rolled her eyes at the gesture before kissing him back. The pair exited the ring where Thor was waiting for them. “That was an amazing fight babe! I’m jealous you got to face such a powerful opponent”! The musclebound hero boasted loudly as Thor got to the dark haired girl’s other side.
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“Well? Is it him Bellona”? He asked trying not to look over his shoulder to the blonde.
“If that wasn’t Odin and I got my ass handed to me by a nobody while I was using any percent of my Divine strength then, they deserve God hood regardless”. She stated in a hushed tone and shrugging slightly.
Thor looked over his shoulder at the woman known as Hanna. “Welcome back dad”... he stated under his breath before leaving with Bellona and Hercules.
Hanna ran into the crowd finding a young woman who appeared to be on her laptop the whole time. The left side of her head was shaved where as the top and right was allowed to grow long black hair. This woman rocked a green and black flannel and bright blue skinny jeans. When the blonde approached her she pushed the red rimmed glasses up on her nose and smiled at her.
“Cindy, were you even watching”? The blonde huffed as she took her hair out of the bun and let it unfurl to its waist length.
“Relax Goldilocks, I recorded it”. She said with a quick push of the glasses without any real need to do so. She averted her gaze as she resumed typing her keystrokes at a rapidly increasing rate.
“You are the best”. Hanna said joyfully as she planted herself next to her friend. An irritated look washed upon her face as she looked at the computer screen. “Pay per view? Are you making money off my match”? She said glaring a hole through her friend’s head.
“Yeah... the comments are mostly about how good your ass looks in those shorts. Couple about the actual fight. Ha! Hashtag bitch fight”. Cindy responded with a malicious chuckle as she scrolled through the comments.
“Most Of that money should go to the owner of the gym you know”? Hanna huffed as she crossed her arms and giving her friend a look of disapproval.
Cindy stared at Hanna blinking rapidly without saying anything for several seconds. “Fine… I’ll make sure the owner receives a generous, anonymous donation. Got a reputation to keep and all that”.
“What Reputation? The one where you are a bad person”? Hanna asked brow raised and looking more and more frustrated by the second. Her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed with vicious intent.
“Derp”! She retorted with her tongue piercing revealed to her friend teasingly. She quickly resumed typing on her computer.
“You are impossible....” Hanna came back with as she stood and stretched her arms, one at a time, across her chest and then both arms behind her back.
Thor, Bellona and Hercules head outside to a nearby tree. The blonde male began making strange clicking noises. A squirrel came from the tree and onto Thor’s right forearm. The rodent cleared it’s throat and stood upright as he looked to the three warriors. “So? The intel was good”? The squirrel asked his ears perked up and attentive.
Bellona nodded. The three looked at each other before Thor looked to the furry animal on his arm curiously. “So, we are pretty sure we found Odin’s reincarnation. What is our next step”? Thor asked in a eager tone, eyes locked on the small furry animal.
“Easy there. The council will want to confirm this is in fact Odin. Then, they’ll argue about what to do next. For now you three stay out of trouble”. The rodent said quickly before he traveled into the cover of the tree and vanished.
“But Ratatoskr! It’s him! If we wait too-“ Thor began to protest before the squirrel vanished after scurrying up the tree.
“That wouldn’t be the case if they’d just hurry up and give the title ‘King of the Gods’ to Zeus”. Hercules boomed proudly, grinning a smug, confident grin.
“Now is not the time for that Hercules”! Thor came back with a subtle rumble of thunder behind him. Grey clouds beginning to roll in rather aggressively.
Bellona put her hand on Thor’s shoulder. “Don’t get too worked up. You’ll ruin this beautiful day”. She said calmly as she pointed at the clouds Thor summoned.
Thor looked where she pointed and nodded slowly agreeing with her. He then took a deep breath and sighed trying to calm himself. An action that was immediately noticed as the clouds slowly dissipated.
“They found Shiva like the day after the battle. Why is it taking so long for Odin”? Hercules asked with a shrug.
“If I had to guess I’d say Father didn’t want to be found. What if this a mistake”? Thor asked looking to his friends for guidance.
Miles away, in an apartment complex a hooded figure strolled the halls. His hood up, and his baggy jeans full of holes. The stranger found a door labeled F66. The stranger raised his fist to knock. Before his fist could collide with the door an overwhelmingly tall, muscular figure answered the door. The taller man was covered in tattoos from head to toe and held a finger to his own lips in attempts to silence the stranger.
“Please. Do not wake lord Shiva. She will be less than pleased”. The bigger man whispered.
“Asleep? It’s three in the afternoon. What have you done to her Ravana”!? The hooded figure barked as he invited himself into the apartment.
“Please. Shiva does not take well to-“ was all he got out before a loud slam could be heard followed by one of the doors bursting open.
The raven haired beauty had a look on her face that could freeze oceans. She stared with vicious intent before a pink bubble formed from her mouth before letting it pop. She took the candy back into her mouth before chewing. “You’d better be here because your mistress has the answers I seek. Chu Chulainn...” she stated calmly.
Chu Chulainn lowered his hood revealing his shaggy red hair.. “The Morrigan sends her apologies. But, she doesn’t have your ascension ritual. They are not even sure you are ready”. He began before Shiva exhaled aggressively.
She huffed. “Not ready? I am Shiva... I have contacted your mistress by meditating, I have access to my previous incarnations more powerful attacks and most of his memories... show me someone who is more ‘ready’ than me”. Her tone aggressive yet not quite yelling. Her face clearly expressing her agitation.
Chu Chulainn shrugged. “I don’t know about ‘ready’ but, she does have a task for you”. He said calmly as he straightened up and sighed. “But, you’re not gonna like it”. He assured.
“Then perhaps it’s best if we don’t-“ Ravana began before Shiva roared over him.
“Tell me this instant! I tire of riddles”! She announced proudly. Poor Ravana flinched and coward in the face of the young woman’s rage.
Chu Chulainn laughed at Ravana’s fear. “I appreciate the enthusiasm. Fine, here’s what the Morrigan told me to pass onto you...” he stated calmly. He even assumed a more lax stance as he delivered to Lady Shiva the message the Morrigan had given to him.
Days later in the city Hanna and Cindy are walking through a wooded area. The sound of children playing not too far off in the distance. Cindy stares at her phone as they walk.
“Thanks again for donating that money to the gym. I know you didn’t want to but, I appreciate it. And I’m sure Theo would appreciate it too”. She finished in a teasing voice.
“Which ones that”? Cindy came back with, her eyes never leaving her phone.
“Come on! The tall Brazilian one with the accent. He hits on you every time you come with me to the gym”. Hanna teased nudging her elbow against Cindy’s shoulder.
Cindy looked up from her phone with a look of distress. “H-hey! Fuckin-“. She began as her heterochromial eyes dilated quickly. “Oh yeah the creepy one with a fetish for my eyes”? She asked pointing at the green left eye then to her brown right eye.
“Y-yeah? Why do you have to make it weird? He likes you. You should totally go out with him”! Hanna said rather insistently.
“You like him so much? Then you go out with him”. Cindy retorted sharply.
“He’s not interested in me. Tall girl troubles”. Hanna came back with as she shrugged.
The wind began to wine and moan in an unsettling way. A light crackling sound broke through the incoherence of the two girls chatting. In an instant Cindy’s arms quickly extended, pushing Hanna away. Between the two girls a small explosion formed. The force of the blast pushed both girls in opposite directions. Hanna was on her ass just staring at the site where the explosion had just gone off. ‘W-what was that’? She wondered as those blue hues began searching for her friend. “Cindy!? Cindy where are you?! Are you okay”?! Hanna called to her friend but, even if she were responding it would have gone unheard due to the loud ringing in their ears. She kept calling for her friend even without being able to hear anything herself. She got to her feet and began treading through the dust cloud and the chaos of not being able to hear. The crackle before the boom started up again. Hanna couldn’t hear it but, her body seemed to sense it. She jumped back and even landed on her feet. And slid back a few feet as the explosion went off. Hanna’s eyes narrowed as they seemed to have found the source.
The raven haired beauty known as Shiva steps forward through the dust. “That wake you Odin”? She asked as she casually struts forward. Hands in her pockets and a tattoo of a eye on her forehead growing more and more noticeably visual.
Hanna stared at the Hindu Goddess with intrigue in her eyes. ‘She’s beautiful… damn that body is something to behold, especially those…’ she thought before catching that Shiva was bringing both hands towards her third eye. Both hands formed what is traditionally seen as the horns of rock. They frame the third eye as she breathes in deeply. “The fuck? Wait! Are you who-!?” She is cut off by the all too familiar crackling sound. “Shit”! Hanna announced as she jumped and rolled away as another explosion went off. “Fuckin knock it off! The fucks going on?! What have you done with Cindy”?! Hanna spouted off rapidly as any idea of fear quickly washed away.
Shiva rolled her two natural eyes. “Stubborn as always Odin. Guess that means I have to try harder”. She announced with a certain irritation in her voice. She inhaled deeply readying herself for another shot.
“Don’t ignore me bitch”! Hanna practically growled as she retorted and quickly transitioned to charging at Shiva.
“No weapon? No plan? How unlike you Odin”. She said calmly as the sound of crackling and explosions filled the air.
Hanna dodges the explosions with ease now. She quickly closed the distance and readied her dominant right hand into a fist. Once close enough Hanna threw that fist in an uppercut motion at Shiva’s jaw. Shiva scowled at the gesture and effortlessly slapped the fist away with one hand and pushed Hanna away with the other. “Such a brutish approach. I expected better”. Shiva said bluntly as she brought her hands up to her third eye and inhaling deeply.
Hanna was far enough away to not be able to reach Shiva but close enough where she knew the explosion could kill them both. “Oh shit”! Hanna hissed under her breath. The explosion occurred like the other times before. Shiva smiled expecting to find a corpse when the smoke cleared. Shiva’s expression turned into one of disgust when she found Hanna not only alive but, standing. Hanna looked surprised as well as purple glass fell to the ground around her.
“What?! Odin’s ward?! So you have some of his abilities after all…” Shiva finished in a lack luster manner as she extended one hand as if reaching for something. “Trisula”! Shiva called out. As she did so a black trident appeared in her extended hand. It’s glass like texture shimmering in the sun as it was thrusted at Hanna boldly aiming for her stomach.
Hanna dodged the pronged weapon and then again as Shiva attempted a second and even a third time. The blonde fell onto her back. Hanna looked up in fear as Shiva raised her weapon to skewer her like a fish.
To be continued….