Hel was sitting on her throne, leg crossed and chin on her fist. She had been staring at the end of the room for a bit now and Hel couldn't recall when she got back or how long she'd been there. Her communication system rang so she answered it. It was Vidar. “What is it Vidar? This better be important.”
“I know you have your own thing going on, but we really have to do something about that fake Jotun that's been running around and making a mess of things.”
Hel found herself a bit confused. Vidar was speaking, normally. She had no idea what was going on until when she spoke again and realized it wasn't really her talking. She was looking through eyes that were hers but not, and had no real control. “I'm not exactly sure what you even want me to do about it Vidar. Whoever or whatever this fake Jotun is, he hasn't bothered my realm. Besides, didn't you get that realm boat up and running yet?”
“The dwarves finished fixing it a while ago and I have been using it, but I could use a hand. Your consort is the only other one besides this faker who can travel the realms.”
Hel looked to the throne beside her to see a man sitting in it, holding a baby. The man looked like Hunter, but he had not cut his hair or shaved his beard in some time making him look a bit more ragged. The baby giggled and cooed as it pulled at Hunter's beard. Hel then looked down to see she was expecting another. How could this be? Not only was she unable, even if she was, it took a full fifteen years after conception for an Aesir or Jotun to have a child. Then she remembered that in the old days that whenever an Aesir and a Human had a kid, it aged more like an elf. Vidar saying something about a fake Jotun reminded her of Butcher. It finally sank in what this dream was.
This was a different Hel, living in a different Helheim, hanging from the root of a different Yggdrasil. This was the version of her that could have been with Hunter. Though she was unsure how this other her had kids since she could not. She wanted to ask but the other her was completely unaware of her presence and thoughts. This alternate Hel spoke again. “My consort, as you put it, is a little busy with child rearing. Besides, my realm has not been bothered by this fake. Why should I step in?”
“I had the communications set up for a reason Hel, so we can help one another. Fake or not this Jotun looks like and has the power of Ymir. He's simply too powerful for one person alone and he can hop realms. We can't exactly fight a battle on two fronts, and if the fake continues to cause problems rather than offer us any aid, we should take him out. The stakes are too high to risk someone that powerful from siding with the enemy and even as a rogue element we are probably better without him.”
“I'll consider it and get back to you later. Bye.” Hel hangs up, then looks at Hunter. “Well sweety, what do you think?”
“I think if I encountered the fake Ymir he'd kill me as a threat because I can travel, was the one to set up the communications network and helped provide Vidar with dwarves. Despite my durability I don't think I could take him in a fight as is. I'd need gear and I doubt Vidar would approve of the dwarves making me anything outside support enchantments like translation.”
“He'll have to if he wants results.”
“Okay, I'll help. But only because there is a risk to our children. I'll get cleaned up.” Hunter hands the baby to Hel and leaves the room. Hel, our Hel, wakes up. She's still in Hunter's bed in Alfheim after moving Hunter there as he slept. Hunter and Lilac are still slumbering beside her. She gets up, gets fully dressed, and starts doing minor tasks to pass the time.
Lilac was in her home in the village, in a bit of a daze. She didn't remember going home and she didn't even remember waking up. She quickly realized she was dreaming when her body started moving outside her control. She was simply an observer. Lilac was tending her garden when suddenly the raid horn was blown and she rushed to see what was going on. A bunch of thopters were hovering just outside the outer wall of the village, marked with the light elf crest.
[I used the word “Thopter” for the translation because it was the best I could do. These things look like large mechanical dragon-flys with cockpits for a pilot to fly them.]
Out of one of the thopters came Dawn who rushed over to Lilac “We have to raise our defenses, now!”
“What happened Dawn, what's going on?”
“There's been an attack at the capital. Some Jotun that looked like Ymir started sacking the city. We've evacuated what we could but he's headed this way. He won't stop till we surrender the realm to him.”
Lilac was confused at this dream. Hunter was the one who could take on the form of Ymir, but Dawn didn't use his name. There was little Lilac could do other than continue to watch. Lilac then heard a familiar sound and turned around to spot the source. It was a man, he had teleported into the village like Hunter does. It took a bit to recognize that the man was Hunter. However his hair and beard had grown quite long and been braided much in the style of Midgardian warriors of the past. His beard had specks of gray and his face even looked slightly more aged then it normally does.
“Well if it isn't the errand boy of Idavoll. I heard you retired to focus on being a husband and father. Congratulations, I guess. What are you doing here?” The Lilac in the dream spoke coldly to Hunter.
“Vidar wanted my help searching for this Ymir look alike that's been causing problems.”
“Oh? I thought you were done doing garbage work for the false gods.”
“I'm not doing it for Vidar, I'm doing it for Skylar. She won't have much of a future if this asshole wannabe tyrant ruins everything I helped set up just so he can be the one in charge.”
“Oh cause the alliance has worked so well.” Lilac spoke sarcastically.
“Your people agreed it was our best chance against the forces of Hastur if or when they return, otherwise you would not have agreed to join.”
“Yet whenever we need help for literally anything else, no one can seem to be bothered.”
“It's not perfect but at least it's a start. Now if you'd be so kind as to tell me if he's been here so I can go back to my wife and kids.”
“I'm not sure what's worse; that fact that you love her, or the fact you are delusional enough to think she loves you back. Do you really think for a moment that swamp witch would have allowed you to share her bed if you didn't have the ability to traverse the realms? Do you really think she'd spend a single moment sharing air with someone like you if you weren't useful? Just like with Vidar, you are nothing more than a tool to her. A means to an end. You are, at best, a glorified pet. If she really loved you like a husband, she wouldn't be letting you age so poorly as humans are known to do. I mean look at you, not even thirty years old and you've already got gray in your beard.”
Dawn finally spoke up. “Do we really have time for this you two? That monster is going to be here in a few hours and all we have is twenty men in thopters with rifles and sidearms plus whatever primitive gear the warriors in the village have.”
Hunter looked at the thopters and his eyes lit up as a smile grew on his aged face. “Tell me everything you can about these beautiful machines. I see the guns are similar to the rifles you have but bigger. Is the entire thing powered the same way?”
“Yeah, it uses a similar power source to our rifles and sidearms. Why?”
“I've got an idea. Come, I'll explain everything as soon as I have someplace to write it down that can be seen.”
Everything went blurry for a bit and when Lilac's vision cleared a few seconds it was noticeably darker. Hunter was talking to the thopter pilots. “Alright, you all understand the plan right? We'll fly in formation diving at the bastard blasting him with everything we have. We'll trigger the core of the dragon-fly to overload, timing it so it goes off as it hits him or just before. Make sure you hit the eject before it goes boom. If the fucker is still standing we hit him with every ranged weapon we can while I get close with this sword Vidar let me barrow.” Hunter holds up Light-bringer. “This is apparently the sentient sword that belonged to Fryr. I'll hold it like a normal sword and if he disarms me it'll stab him in the back while he's trying to finish me off. Watch your distance, Ymir's club will break a majority of the bones in your spindly tall ass bug bodies on impact. It might even break most of my bones on impact. Hopefully we can end this here and now and focus our efforts into the coming invasion. Everyone ready?”
The crowd of pilots confirmed they were ready and Hunter hopped into one. They executed the plan perfectly, hitting the Ymir look alike from all sides and exploding in his face. When the smoke cleared he looked rough but was still standing. “You dare challenge me?! I am the embodiment of strength and power in these realms! It is the privilege of the strong to rule over the weak.” His deep voice was quite different from Butcher’s, despite how similar they looked they were nothing alike. This fake Ymir had strange tattoos on his body and dirty blonde hair. Arrows, rocks, and spears were launched at the man, being broken by the club or his skin with only a few making actual damage. “Who put you up to this?! You elves are too cowardly and nowhere near smart enough to come up with this.”
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The monster rushed to Lilac who had been shooting arrows at him and grabbed her by the throat, picking her up off the ground. Even though it was a dream she could feel the hand grip her neck tightly. “Start talking elf, before I remove your ability to do so.”
Hunter lifted Light-bringer and shouted. “Over here ugly, this was all my idea.”
The alternative Butcher looked over to Hunter and dropped Lilac. “You, how did you get here from Midgard?”
“You won't live long enough to do anything about it, but I can realm hop freely.” Hunter charged but the alt Butcher slammed the sword out of Hunter's hand with the club and grabbed him by the throat. “You tiny insignificant speck. Did you really think that you, a mere human, could challenge the inheritor of Ymir's power?!” The monster squeezed Hunter's neck and didn't give him room to talk. “What's the matter, no last words?”
Hunter made motions with his hand and Light-bringer moved to the back of the monster. Hunter choked out some words to cover up the sound of it activating its magic. “How’s this for some last words: I hit it from behind.”
“What?” The confusion is interrupted by Light-bringer stabbing deep into the alt Butcher’s back. So deep it almost stabbed Hunter. “What… the… fu-”
Hunter then pulls out something that looks similar to the side arm the light elves use but different. “Go to sleep bitch.” There is a flash of light and a loud bang from the object as a chunk of the false Butcher’s head is blown off. The monster goes limp and hits the floor. The alternative Hunter walks over to Lilac and helps her off the ground. His voice was a bit horse from the choking. “Are you alright miss Duskdotter?”
“I'm fine, and I can handle myself, lap dog.” She slaps his hand away and brushes herself off.
“Is it okay for me to use the guest sleeping area to recharge so I can go back home?”
“Yeah, just make sure you leave as soon as you can. Regardless of what you've just done to help us, you are not welcome here.”
“Consider me gone. Can't say I overstay my welcome.” Hunter starts walking to the guest building.
“Hey consort. You ever wonder what our lives would have been like if someone that wasn't a power hungry asshat inherited the power of Ymir?”
“When I first learned about other realms and the fact I could visit them, I was in a rough spot. This gave me a chance to start over. Now, I have everything I could ever want or ask for. Why in the devil would I waste time, effort, and thought into imagining my life otherwise? I'm happy with my choices, that's all that matters.”
Lilac wakes up with a start. It was one strange nightmare, but it was over now. She was in Hunter's bed in Alfheim. There was an empty spot on the other side where Hel was. Lilac got out of bed to go looking for her. She found Hel in the kitchen rummaging through the food stores. “What… are you doing?”
“Well I was thinking, since Hunter has had it so rough lately I'd do something nice for him. Breakfast in bed maybe?”
“Well you look kinda lost. Have you ever even cooked before?”
“...No. I've always had servants do that. However when Hunter visits I put him in charge of the kitchen. Last time he took some of my Helheim blood honey mead, some blackberries, and mint. Then he put a Dreki steak in it and let it sit overnight. Cooked it on a grate over a fire. It, was, divine. Melted in my mouth.”
“Oh yeah, he's made food for me a few times too. You'd be amazed how often you can eat the same fish when he's cooking them. Why are you doing this anyway?”
“Well… Hunter has been so stressed out lately, with everything going on. With the nightmares I wonder if he somehow knows subconsciously how short of a time he has. It could just be the normal nightmares but still. Also after a strange dream I had last night, I think I finally know what I want.”
“What kinda dream? Was it… a naughty dream? Because I had one about Hunter a while back and-”
“No, it wasn't a dirty dream. I was a wife and mother. I saw a life where I made the choice I had been robbed of in this life. Before you ask, it was Hunter I was with but he was… different. It's hard to describe.”
“I also had a strange dream about Hunter. I saw a life where he was a stranger. Worse even, I was rather cold and mean to him. It was kind of a nightmare. I hated seeing a version of me act so harshly to Hunter. I'd offer to help you but I'm not much of a cook either. I don't burn food, it just tastes bland compared to what Hunter makes.”
“Well there's only one other way I can think of to help him with stress that I currently have access too and I'm not sure I should try for that considering… everything.”
Lilac sighs. “Let me help, we can spitball ideas. I'm not sure what's what in his kitchen but the two of us are capable women, it should not be hard to find a way to ease Hunter's burden. If only for a bit.
Hunter was standing in ankle high inky black liquid in a vast void. The only fluid formed hands that pulled at Hunter and started pulling at him, whispers softly hitting his ears. In front of him the only liquid shapes itself like a human and turns into a mirror image of him. “What are you even doing Hunter? You and I both know you don't deserve to be happy. Hel doesn't know what you've been through, she doesn't truly know what you've done. Worse yet, she doesn't know what you are doing. This mission, this drive to complete this despite the future you've been told. The truth is, you are just committing suicide the long way around.”
“Yeah yeah yeah. Only willing to sacrifice myself for others because then I finally get to die. Blah blah blah. How many times must we do this song and dance? How many times will you try and drag me down?”
“I'll keep doing this as long as you keep hating yourself.”
Hunter was now around chest deep in inky black liquid. “Just leave me alone and let me be happy damn it.”
“Never. I'll keep trying to drown you for as long as you live. Part of why you are so willing to die for others. You'll finally get to shut me up.”
Hunter sighed loudly. “Can I wake up now?”
“You'll never be happy. They don't really love you. To think otherwise is only to delude yourself.”
“Mmmhmm, yeah. I've gotten really good at ignoring you over the years. Just going to wait till I wake up.”
“Fine, whatever, later.”
Hunter wakes up in his bed in Alfheim. He was a bit confused, since he passed out in Ivadoll on the floor of the arena. Hunter also noticed he was in his boxers under the covers. Meaning someone moved and undressed him. That or he was still sleeping. Either way it was a win. It's been a while since Hunter's had a normal dream. Hunter's hand rubbed his blanket and sheet. He couldn't be sure if this was real or not. Might as well wait it out a bit.
After a while the door to Hunter's bedroom creaked open a bit. “Hello? Someone else here? It's customary to knock.” The door opened the rest of the way and Lilac slowly started to enter, followed by Hel. Hunter used his hands to move to a sitting up position in shock for what he saw.
The two were in lacy underwear. Lilac in white, popping like highlighter against her freckled purple skin. Her thin, tall, petite athletic body on display. Her runner slash swimmer physique and subtle curves and assets being accented by a combination of white lace and body paint. Hel in black, looking almost like shadows on her taller and more well endowed frame. Her mask is off showing her scar and her glamor is down putting her greenish Jotun skin, yellow on black Jotun eyes, and subtle horns on display. She too had decorated parts of her body with tribal patterns similar to Lilac.
Hunter stammered, confused and unsure of what was going on. This has to be a dream, right? I mean they were in lingerie, an Earth custom they would not have knowledge of. Then again it's possible for a similar thing to develop in other cultures. How long has the concept of sexy underwear been around? “W-what are you two doing?”
They approached the bed, one on each side. “You've been under a lot of stress lately and Hel and I were talking about what we could do to help you.” They both sat down.
Hel’s hand brushed against the blanket off to Hunter's side. “We went over a few options. The usual things one does to relieve stress. Eating, games, drinking alcohol.”
Hunter began to sweat bullets as he stuttered out “s-sex?”
Lilac slid her hand under the blanket on her side. “If you want. I mean… we got all dressed up and already went through all this trouble. It would be a shame not to take advantage, wouldn't it?”
Hel slid her hand into the blanket on her side. “You've already made it clear you find me attractive, and I've made it clear I feel the same. The three of us have spent so much time together. We've gotten closer to each other. We've shared a bed, we've seen each other nude, we've held hands, you've cooked us food. We can start slowly, with a kiss. We'll go as far as you'll allow, but with the amount of effort we've put in it would almost be an insult to turn us away now.”
Hunter gulped, swallowing hard out of nervousness. “I… I don't know… I mean if I had narrowed it down to one that would be one thing. But are you really okay with me having both of you at the same time?”
Lilac's hand reached Hunter's thigh under the blanket, her rough and calloused palm lightly scratching Hunter's skin. “It's just one night, just for tonight. Maybe… maybe this'll help you decide.”
Hel ran her smooth hand over Hunter's belly. “Let us ease your burden, if only for a little while, you can forget about everything. Return to the mission with renewed vigor and no regrets. Well less regrets. All you have to do is say yes.”
Hunter's thoughts race. He felt strong connections to both of them, for different reasons. He could easily see himself spending a full life with either one if things were different. If he wasn't going to have to die. Both have been there for him through some tough times, and despite what his inner demons thought they both knew the hardships he's been through. He's shared all of himself with both of them, and both of them stayed. Hunter felt like he owed them a lot. He had wanted to kiss them both at different times but held himself back from ever going for the lips. He's gone for hands, cheeks, and foreheads. After Lulu's little forced kiss and how upset he got you'd think Hunter would be less hesitant or maybe just the opposite is what's expected. Hunter reached out a hand to the faces of both women, gently pushing his hands on their cheeks.
Lilac's hand moved up and down before sliding to fingers under the leg of his boxers. “Just tell us what you want Hunter.”
Hel moved her hand, dipping two fingers under the elastic at the top of Hunter's boxers. “What do you want?”
Hunter pulled both of them closer. He put his forehead on Lilac's, then on Hel's. Running his hand through their hair. “I want… I want to live. I want to be a father, and watch my child grow. I want to grow old, and die together in the arms of my lover. I want to see my child laugh, cry, and find their own path. I want a life, full and complete. I want all these things, knowing I can never have them. All I want… is to be happy.” He gave Lilac a kiss on the lips. Light and gentle. He did the same for Hel.
A tear slowly ran down Hunter's cheek. “I don't want to go. I don't want to say goodbye. But all good things must come to an end. I still can't believe… after so long of drowning in my own sorrows, my own self hatred, I finally find happiness. Then, as soon as I get comfortable, I'm asked to sacrifice that happiness for the sake of others. How could I possibly refuse? How could I possibly choose selfishness? After everything I've done, everything I've been through, everything I've built myself up to be. How in Helheim could I ever choose to do anything for me? When all I've done for most my life is live in service of others, sacrifice for others. I've already sacrificed my own happiness once for the sake of others. Why does it have to be me, why do I have to sacrifice my happiness for a second time?”
Hunter let out a soft sob, both Lilac and Hel rubbing his cheeks gently and hushing softly. “It's okay to be scared, Hunter. It's okay to have doubts. We're not asking you to let them go, we're not asking you to forget them. All we ask, is that you let go, for just a while. Let others carry some of that burden and help ease it in their own way. How many times do we have to tell you that you are not alone before it gets through that thick skull of yours?”
Hunter chuckles through some lingering tears. “Only a few thousand more.” Hunter takes his hand off Lilac’s head and moves it to her hand, rubbing it gently before opening the blanket. He then does the same on Hel's side. “Get in here you two.”
They both slide under the covers and hug Hunter from the side without moving their hands. They both place their second hand on Hunter's chest as they both kiss him on the cheek. “So, how far do you want to take this?”
Hunter's thoughts raced, he didn't feel like he deserved this. “I don't feel like I deserve this, like I don't deserve you two.” Hunter kissed Hel once more while guiding one of Lilac's hands into his boxers. “But I'm so tired of pushing everyone away, keeping them at arm's length because I'm worried about someone getting hurt. So I'm going to try my best to be happy during the time I have. So maybe, just for tonight, I'll let go of the last of my barriers.”
Lilac kissed Hunter as her hand gently gripped onto his delicates. “That's more like it, now let us take care of you.”
Hel slid her hand to grip Hunter as well. “Don't worry, we'll be gentle. Unless, of course, you like it rough.”
Hunter smiled as he held them both close and kissed them. “I swear if this is still a dream, I'm going to be so pissed.”