"Huh? A female ruler of the Hell Dimension? That's pretty rare..." Robert muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing in curiosity as he sensed the approaching figure.
What caught Robert's attention even more was the faint yet distinct energy signature emanating from her. It wasn't completely unfamiliar—it carried traces of power similar to someone standing right beside him.
"Thor, looks like one of your relatives has shown up," Robert said, turning toward Thor with a half-smile. "Do you know her?"
"My relative? A woman? Who could it be?" Thor asked, his brow furrowing as he followed Robert's gaze.
Standing in the distance was a woman clad in a sleek black outfit, her dark hair flowing wildly around her. She exuded a terrifying aura of death, and the oppressive killing intent radiating from her seemed to taint the very air. Although she was a stranger to Thor, something about her demeanor jogged a memory buried in his mind.
"Hela?" Thor finally ventured, his voice uncertain.
The woman stopped in her tracks at the sound of her name, her sharp gaze locking onto Thor. The killing intent around her wavered slightly as a faint look of surprise flickered across her face. "You know my name?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity. "That's strange. As far as I know, that old man buried all records of my existence. How do you know about me?"
"Probably because the old man is dying," Thor replied bluntly, shrugging as he matched her venomous tone. Like Hela, Thor had little respect for their father, Odin, and wasted no time in addressing him with casual disdain. It seemed a bond of shared grievances was quickly forming between the two.
"How interesting. You call him an 'old man' too?" Hela's eyebrows rose in surprise, and a glimmer of approval shone in her dark eyes. "Does that mean your strength has also grown to the point of threatening his position?"
Hela's suspicions were understandable. After all, Odin had sealed her away not because of some noble desire for peace, but because her growing power and ambition had begun to overshadow his own. Hela knew that as the goddess of death, her strength would only continue to increase the more battles she fought and the more lives she claimed. Given enough time, she could have easily surpassed Odin, making her a direct threat to his rule.
"Let me guess," Hela continued, her tone dripping with derision. "That old man is still clinging to power, even as his life nears its end? Typical. His obsession with control truly knows no bounds."
"Well, you're not wrong," Thor replied, crossing his arms. "He always acts like everything he does is for our own good. As if his decisions are the only ones that matter."
"Exactly!" Hela laughed bitterly. "His so-called wisdom is just a mask for his insecurities. He's always been afraid of anyone who could challenge his authority." Her expression darkened as she recounted her own imprisonment. "Do you know why I'm here in the Hell Dimension? He sealed me away on Earth, cutting me off from my true power. A ruler of Helheim reduced to nothing more than a forgotten prisoner."
"Sealed on Earth?" Robert interjected, his sharp eyes locking onto Thor. "When did this happen?"
Thor hesitated for a moment, then sighed apologetically. "It was thousands of years ago. Definitely before I was born, and probably before the Ancient One's time on Earth. I only know about it because the old man told me—he must've thought it didn't matter anymore."
"Exactly," Hela snarled, her eyes burning with resentment. "That was his plan all along. He knew that Helheim, my domain in the Hell Dimension, was the source of my strength. It was my path to ascending to the level of a true Heavenly Father—his level. By sealing me on Earth and exploiting the dimensional rules that prevent crossover, he trapped me between two worlds. I couldn't draw power from Helheim, nor could I use my true body to expand my domain in the Hell Dimension."
"For thousands of years, I've been stuck in limbo. My strength has stagnated, my ambitions thwarted—all thanks to that old man's schemes!"
"Wow. That's low, even for him," Thor muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. For all his grievances with Odin, hearing about Hela's plight made him realize just how cunning—and ruthless—the All-Father could be.
To be fair, Hela wasn't entirely wrong in her grievances. As the goddess of death, her power and potential far surpassed that of most gods. Her dominion over Helheim was a unique advantage that could have allowed her to eclipse even Odin himself. If left unchecked, her conquests would have not only bolstered her own strength but also rewritten the legacy of Asgard. Odin's reputation as a benevolent king would have been overshadowed by her bloody triumphs.
But her imprisonment wasn't just about politics. It was also a warning to anyone who dared to threaten Odin's rule.
"Honestly, you're lucky in a way," Thor mused, his tone contemplative. "At least you had Helheim. If I were in your shoes, I'd have nothing. There's no realm for lightning, no 'Thunder Dimension' for me to claim."
Hela arched a brow, her expression softening slightly. "Well, you certainly don't lack for self-awareness. But you're right—I had an advantage, and even that wasn't enough to escape his grasp. If you'd been sealed like me, you'd be rotting away in obscurity by now."
"Not very comforting," Thor muttered, though he couldn't deny the truth of her words.
"Still, it seems you've managed to avoid my fate," Hela continued, glancing at the group surrounding Thor. Her gaze lingered on Robert, Kara, and the others. "You even have allies who rival Odin in strength. If I'd had someone like him by my side, things might have turned out very differently."
"Let's clear something up—they're not my allies," Thor corrected her with a resigned sigh. "If anything, they're more like Asgard's enemies. Or at least, they were. Let's just say they beat us into submission."
"Beat Asgard into submission?" Hela repeated, her voice tinged with surprise. After a moment of consideration, she nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense. With the power I can sense from him, the Saiyan could easily pull that off. And… was Mjolnir broken in the process?" she asked, her gaze shifting to the hammer in Thor's hand.
"Not exactly," Thor said with a faint smile. "Actually, you were Mjolnir's first wielder, weren't you? Did you ever encounter anyone else who could use it?"
Hela frowned, her brow furrowing in thought. "No. Mjolnir was only ever meant to be a temporary weapon for me. From the moment it was forged, it was destined to become yours—Thor's hammer, the hammer of the god of thunder."
"That's what I thought too. But in reality, it seems Mjolnir's 'worthy' list is longer than I expected," Thor replied, his tone laced with frustration. "I've run into at least ten people who could wield it, and one of them was a cyborg. Can you imagine? I threw Mjolnir at an enemy, and it happily flew into his hands instead of returning to me."
"And that's why I shattered it," Thor added, shaking his head. "I used my power to break its sentience, to make sure it wouldn't betray me again. At this point, Mjolnir is more of a tool than a symbol."
"Good riddance," Hela said, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Honestly, I used to envy you for being born with a weapon like that. Now, I feel like I dodged a bullet."
"So, is this meeting just a family reunion?" Thor asked, raising a brow. "Or did you have some other reason for showing up?"
"Originally, I was going to test you," Hela admitted. "See if you were worthy of being my successor. Maybe give you a taste of the pain I endured."
"But now? I think I'll wait. Once the old man dies and my seal is lifted, we'll settle this properly. Until then, you can enjoy your freedom." Her tone softened slightly as she added, "And don't worry—if you lose, I'll let you live. I might even give you a position in my court."
"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence," Thor replied dryly. "But I wouldn't count me out just yet."
Hela chuckled, her expression unexpectedly warm. "You're not as insufferable as I thought. Maybe we won't end up like the old man and his brother."
"Wait, his brother?" Thor's eyes widened in shock. "Odin had a brother?"
"Oh, you didn't know? Of course you didn't," Hela said, shaking her head with a bitter laugh. "That was long before your time, during the age of the gods. Back then, Asgard was still on Earth, and the old man wasn't even first in line for the throne."
"He defeated his older brother and sealed him away—on Earth, no less," Hela continued. "If he hadn't done it before, I doubt he would've been so confident in sealing me."
"There's another seal on Earth?" Robert's eyes narrowed, his expression growing serious. The implications of
Hela's words were clear—whatever Odin had sealed away could pose a significant threat to Earth.
"It seems I'll need to have a word with Odin… or what's left of him," Robert murmured, his mind racing.
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