Genesis, part 3
Genesis part 3
Death pays a visit.
Hel knew her father had truly died when the rotted corpse flesh of her lower body into legs. Apart from her skin being the color of blue-vein cheese, she now had a vessel passably human in appearance. Hel admired her reflection for a long time then returned to her duties.
Sometime later she returned to her chamber and found Death seated at a table eating. The goddess sat down and waited until he finished his meal. “I believe your father recently visited,” Death stated and Hel acknowledged the fact. “In what capacity.” It wasn’t a query and Hel answered as such.
“He came as he always has Sir, Trickster and Archangel. He gave me this amulet and suggested that if any of his kin sought help that I should consider doing such.”
“He also suggested you release Fenrir, find your other brother Vali and I imagine speak with your nephews Sköll and Hati,” Death stated, studying the pagan goddess thoughtfully.
The waters of the pool rippled and Creation stepped into the hall. "Are you seeking to take my role as well as life, old friend?" Death asked his tone slightly mocking. Creation smiled and motioned for Hel to sit at the table.
"My wayward son gave you an Amulet," He stated.
"Yes, sir?" Hel answered wary of stranger.
"These days he calls himself God,” Death said and chuckled at Hel's raising of an eyebrow in reply.
"It's easily translated," God said matter-of-factly and then asked Hel, "Do you believe Castiel, the Angel Gabriel mentioned, will ask you for help?”
“I have no idea. Loki believed he wouldn't." Hel held God's gaze and asked, “Have you come to remove my charges to another’s keeping?”
"You are accountable to Death my dear, I just wanted to make sure Gabriel actually did this last task asked of him. I'm very happy to hear he did. I won't interfere but if Castiel asks, help him," God said and vanished in a cloud of mist. Goddess and Death exchanged looks and then Death spoke.
“I’m inclined to let you continue as you see fit Hel. You remain one of the few of my ambassadors that doesn’t believe their own press. Although perhaps limit the family reunion to Fenrir and Vali.” Death rose to leave. “Perhaps you ought to consider helping your distant cousin without being asked. He may have need of your particular expertise.”
With that Death left the goddess to her own thoughts. Calling forth her servants, Hel left Helheimr in their custody and went to release her imprisoned brother Fenrir and reunite with her younger brother Vali.
Fenrir - The Great Wolf, is freed.
The Great Wolf lay on his side, bound to a stone by a silken band with a sword cruelly lodged between his jaws. Hel looked down upon her brother pitilessly. She then removed the sword from his mouth. Fenrir snapped and growled and howled his rage for many nights before finally acknowledging his sister’s presence.
“Remove these bonds Sister so that I may run with you and Loki and destroy Odin and the Asgard filth.”
Hel picked at the heather growing wild around her brother and casually informed him that Odin, Balder and a number of their distant cousins were dead. They’d been slaughtered by Lucifer, the Archangel of Christian teaching.
“Loki asked that I help one of these angels, should the occasion arise. The world has changed. Not many follow the old ways,” Hel said, coming over to where her brother lay bound.
“Why would Loki seek to help the One God children?” Fenrir asked.
“He was one of them. They called him the Archangel Gabriel. When they banished his elder brother Lucifer to Hell, Gabriel left and rebirthed himself as Loki, our father. I do not care one way or the other. The inglorious dead still need to be cared for and the servants of the old ways still need to rest in peace.”
Hel bought the sword down heavily against the stone, breaking it and severing the silken band holding her brother bound. “Our father said upon his death you should be freed. Why be bound to Gods who no longer care to follow their own rules.”
The Great Wolf lay still. Then slowly stretched his legs and stood. He breathed deeply and howled into the twilight before running down the heather fields and through the island vegetation.
Hel followed, stopping every now and then to collect the souls of the humans Fenrir devoured; subtly changing the island’s history to accommodate the excess’ of her brother’s first days of freedom. When his hunger was sated and the initial fury of imprisonment exorcised, Fenrir fell in step beside his sister.
“What now?” he asked as they stood by the sea’s edge on the northern most point of the island.
“We return to Helheimr. There is much to tell you brother.” Hel patted the Great Wolf’s head and stepped into the water. Fenrir followed and in an instant found himself by the glacial pool in Hel’s keep.
***
The winter of 2009 was harsh in Europe. In Poland 139 people died as a result of the cold, most of them homeless or poor. Their souls found their way to Hel’s keep and on the most inhospitable winter nights Fenrir walked freely upon earth and the wolf ate well. Hunters across the continent heard rumors of a Giant Wolf or Black Dog, but none were resolved. After the fifth hunter was lost chasing Black Dog rumors, the rapidly dwindling hunting fraternity decided to focus on the supernatural they could readily vanquish and leave chasing hearsay until after they beat the Devil. Across the globe, in that year of the Apocalypse, it was good to be a Hunter of the supernatural.
Chapter 1