Hel was unusually quiet.
Alexander felt it the moment he arrived.
The cold wasn't heavier—
Hela was.
She stood near the obsidian cliffs, pacing slightly, tension clear in her posture.
"…Hela?" Alexander called gently.
She froze.
Before she could say anything, Alexander stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
"What's wrong, my princess?" he asked softly.
"Why do you look like the universe is ending?"
Hela stiffened—then melted into him.
She buried her face against his chest and hugged him tightly.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she looked up at him.
"My name," she said quietly,
"is Hela Odinson."
Alexander blinked once.
"…Okay."
She stared.
"…That's it?"
Hela took a breath and continued anyway.
"I am Odin's first daughter.
I wanted to make Asgard strong.
I waged war.
Father sealed me away."
She finished, bracing herself.
Alexander raised his hand—
And flicked her forehead.
Flick.
"…Ow!"
"Is that all?" he asked calmly.
Hela froze.
"You're not… sad?" she asked quietly.
"Angry that I didn't tell you?"
Alexander shook his head.
"Nope."
"…Why?"
"I already guessed," he said casually.
"Something about you always screamed Asgard-level family drama."
Hela stared.
"And," Alexander added with a grin,
"I'm just glad you didn't kill me the first time we met."
Her face heated up.
"I wouldn't have!"
"I know," he said softly.
"I fell for the tsundere woman in front of me."
"I am not tsundere!" Hela snapped.
Alexander laughed, leaned down, and kissed her forehead.
She froze again—then relaxed.
"…Do you want to leave this dimension?" he asked gently.
Hela hesitated.
"If I do," she said,
"Father will be angry."
Alexander's grin turned mischievous.
"Oh?"
Then he raised his voice.
"Father, you listening?"
Hela's eyes widened.
"…What?"
Reality rippled.
Odin and Frigga appeared.
"…You really have no sense of timing," Odin muttered.
Hela turned red instantly.
"OLD MAN!" she shouted.
"You're peeping on your daughter's private moment?!"
Odin choked.
Frigga burst into laughter.
Alexander laughed beside her.
"Old man," Alexander added cheerfully,
"you should've talked to her before sealing her."
Odin sighed heavily.
"…I should have."
Alexander tilted his head.
"She passed the test, didn't she?"
Hela blinked.
"…Test?"
Alexander smiled.
"When I gave you my blessing," he explained,
"your seal broke. Your power reached Single Universe Level."
"But you didn't leave," he continued.
"You stayed here."
He looked at Odin.
"Right?"
Odin nodded slowly.
"She chose to remain."
Hela stared at Alexander.
"You knew?"
Alexander shrugged.
"I suspected."
Then Odin hesitated.
"…Alexander," he said slowly,
"about you not being my son by blood—"
Alexander waved it off.
"I know," he said simply.
Odin and Frigga froze.
"…When?" Frigga asked softly.
"When I learned about my Dark Phoenix bloodline," Alexander replied.
"But I stayed."
He smiled warmly.
"Because you're still my parents."
Silence filled Hel.
Frigga's eyes shimmered.
Odin closed his eye.
"…Thank you."
Alexander clapped his hands once.
"Anyway," he said cheerfully,
"what are you going to do with Hela?"
Odin straightened.
"She may return to Asgard," he said,
"or remain in Hel."
Hela answered immediately.
"I want to live in Ashborn Dimension."
Odin stiffened.
"…Not Asgard?"
Hela nodded.
Alexander and Frigga laughed.
Odin sighed.
"…I suppose that was inevitable."
Hela squeezed Alexander's hand.
And for the first time—
There was no seal.
No resentment.
No throne.
Just family.
And somewhere, far away—
Fate quietly rewrote itself again. 🔥🌿