00164. Hela’s childhood.

    A man looked down into a baby''s crib at his daughter who was born only minutes ago as a frown formed on his face. He studied the child for a few minutes before he let out a disappointed sigh and said, “I wanted a male heir, but you’ll have to do.”

    He turned away from the crib without a second glance and said, “Once she can walk, send her to the Einherjar.”

    An attendant next to the crib bowed as they said, “Yes, your majesty.”

    vvvvv

    A young girl no older than six was bloody and bruised. Her body swayed slightly as she stood on unsteady feet. Within her limp right hand rested a sword that she could no longer hold up properly. Not a wooden training sword either, but a metal sword with a razor sharp edge.

    Her short cut black hair was matted with blood and sweat, while the rest of her body was covered in blood, dirt and grime. She was at her limit and it took a tremendous effort before she raised up her sword again to face her opponent.

    A spear jutted out at the girl which she attempted to block with her sword. The opponent was a lot more experienced and flicked their spear to smash her sword away before they plunged the tip of it into her stomach. Bright crimson blood flowed out around the spear tip before the girl fell forward as the spear was pulled out of the wound.

    The full grown man holding the spear watched the girl for a few moments before he said, “You''re already healing, get up and defend yourself.”

    The girl struggled to get back up before the man struck her side with the butt of his spear. As the girl rolled through the loose dirt of the fighting arena the man said, “You need to be faster, if this was a real fight you would already be dead. Now, get back up.”

    Once the girl stopped rolling, she managed to stand back up on unstable legs again. As the wound on her stomach slowly healed, she took a step towards her sword before she collapsed forward on the ground without the ability to catch herself from how worn out she was. The man shook his head before he kicked the sword towards the young girl.

    The man used just enough strength for the sword to land in front of the girl where it slid to a stop. With the sword now in reach, the girl took it into her hand and used it to help her stand up again. Once she was back on her feet, the man approached her as he said, “Guard yourself!”

    The girl used a tremendous amount of effort, but managed to raise her sword up in time as the man came into range with his spear. The man brutally slashed down at the girl with his spear that wasn''t aimed directly at the girl, but at her weapon or more specifically at the hilt. For a moment it seemed like the spear missed as it finished its attack vector. The next moment the girl screamed out in agony as her sword dropped to the ground.

    A pool of blood quickly formed on the ground next to the sword and four tiny fingers. The man watched for a second as the girl cried out in pain and cradled her injured hand before he yelled out, “Healer!”

    vvvvv

    A young girl around twelve years old kneeled at the base of a golden platform. The platform was large and imposing with a magnificent golden throne which rested at the top. The man seated on the throne studied the girl for a few moments before he asked, “Do you know why I called for you?”

    The girl kept her head down as she said, “I’m sorry father, I do not.”

    “I want you to do your right of passage.”

    The girl''s head snapped up in shock as she looked at the man on the throne. The man raised the spear in his hand and slammed it down once as he said loudly, “Birger! Prepare Hela for her hunt.”

    Hela quickly removed the pack and opened it up to reveal the dire wolf pup she kidnapped. Odin studied it for a moment before he started to move back towards his throne and sat down. After a few moments he asked, “What do you plan to do with that pup?”

    Hela glanced down at the animal as it struggled in its bindings before she said, “I don’t know, I only brought it because I killed its mother.”

    Odin glanced at the corpse of the mother dire wolf for a moment before he said, “If it grows to even half the size of its mother, it would make a good mount for you. But you would need to be able to tame it first.”

    Hela looked at the pup in surprise before she glanced up at her father and asked, “Could I really keep it?”

    “Consider it a gift for passing your coming of age hunt.”

    Hela beamed as she said, “Thank you for the gift father.”

    Odin nodded slightly before he said, “Now go rest, there will be a banquet tonight and then from tomorrow onwards, you will go to train with the valkyries.”

    “Yes, father.” Hela said before she picked up the little pup and left the throne room.

    vvvvv

    An army was lined up on the rainbow bridge as it waited for the order to move towards the observatory. Near the front of the army was a girl around sixteen and she wore the standard issue uniform like everyone else around her. Only two things made her stand apart from the rest, her age and the large black dire wolf at her side. As they waited for orders the dire wolf growled softly before Hela gently rested her hand on the wolf''s head and stroked its ears as she said, “It won’t be long now Fenris.”

    The wolf nozzled into Hela’s hand for a few moments before the commander yelled out, “Prepare to enter the bifrost! First battalion, once you cross over form a defensive perimeter and dig in.”

    “Yes, sir!” Everyone from battalion one responded including Hela.

    A moment later the bifrost opened up and the commander yelled out, “Move out! Second battalion prepare to move in.”

    Hela was one of the first through the bifrost and once on the other side she was greeted by a forested area. The place seemed peaceful at first glance but Fenris immediately went on guard, lowered his posture and snarled towards the forest. Hela and the soldiers around her quickly raised up their shields at the same time and moved forward cautiously. As more soldiers arrived on the next bifrost wave, a small hail of arrows rained out from the surrounding trees.

    “Enemy attack!” One soldier yelled out as the arrows rained down on the first battalion.

    Most of them were blocked by shields but a few unlucky people ended up with injuries. Hela and Fenris were lucky, since they were off to the side of where most of the arrows were aimed. After the first wave of arrows finished, another was already in the air. Time seemed to slow down for Hela as she watched this new rain of arrows which were headed towards her side this time. She instinctively raised her shield and moved to cover Fenris with it before the rain of arrows landed.

    After the second rain of arrows, a third was launched but as it was in the air the first battalion commander yelled out, “Support squads, do your job!”

    A moment later a hum was heard before a massive shield sprung up and the arrows crashed against it. With the energy shield in place the arrows stopped and Hela could see a large group of people as they fled deep into the forest.