The Ragnarok

The Wolf's Troubles

Helen met them in Jordan’s room. She had worked extra hard to find him a large enough container to relax in. Oddly enough there was one place that was selling something that could hold the sea monster. “Happy?”

“Happy?” Jordan gasped, starting to throw off his clothes to expose his large back tattoo. It was similar to Fen’s but this one was in the form of a circular snake that coiled around itself biting its tail. It glowed as he stepped into the water, his lower legs stretching out to slink together into the form of a long scaly tail. There wasn’t a place alive that could hold him in his full snake form but as long as his scales were submerged in the water he didn’t care. “Oh sweet Asgardian waters.” he sighed, “Thank you Hel.”

“Please say I’ve got something this good in my room?” Fen glared, feeling slightly jealous his brother was able to flex his god-like form. 

“You have more clothes,” Helen glared back, “and a bed, which is more than you had in Odin’s prison.”

“Fair point.” Fen shrugged, “Why were you gone so long today?”

“Garmr.” Helen sighed, causing Fen to straighten up. “He was disturbed by something.”

There were a lot of memories coming back when Fen heard Garmr mentioned. Garmr was the wolf Fen strived to be. He guarded Helheim, if he didn’t want you to pass you weren’t getting through. He was Hel’s loyal bodyguard, and while everyone thought Fen was the one to cause the end of all things, Garmr was certainly far more intimidating. 

“Odin tried to pass into my realm.” Helen sighed, continuing, “Garmr wouldn’t let him through, but I know he was trying to figure out if I was there or not.”

“Props to the pup.” Fen said proudly, he would never call Garmr a pup to his face, but in this company, it was fine to toss around childish nicknames, “He’s probably the only one who will stand up to Odin.”

“He is specifically the only one who will stand up to Odin,” Jordan grumbled as he slid farther into the pool. 

“Hey!” Fen growled. “I stood up to him.”

“Yeah,” Jordan agreed, “See where that got you?”

“I was young.” Fen’s voice was straining through gritted teeth, “What were you doing while I was busy outsmarting the gods?”

“Outsmarting?” Helen scoffed, “I seem to recall they played you.”

Fen turned back to Helen, narrowing his eyes, “Oh that’s right, gang up on your older brother.” 

“Don’t say prideful lies and I won’t.” sneering and sticking out her tongue to her brother she noticed Jordan starting to fall asleep. “I guess we should let him rest.” 

Fen nodded and guided Helen to his room. It was far more furnished than Jordan’s, but to be fair he had a pool. Fen’s room has a bed right underneath the window that allowed the moonlight to stretch over him while she slept. Against one wall was a wardrobe that he guessed had all the new clothes. 

“It’s not much,” Helen defended, “I didn’t know what kinds of activities you were into.”

“That makes two of us.” Fen smiled, hoping to ease his sister’s troubles. There was something else worrying her about Odin’s attempted visit, she didn’t need to concern herself with what he liked to do in his spare time. “Did Garmr say anything else about Odin’s visit?”

Her eyes glossed over thinking back to why Garmr had summoned her, “He said Odin left me a warning.”

“What kind of warning?” Fen growled. He made the mistake of not protecting his family in the past, he was sure to not make the same mistakes now. 

“If Fenrir isn’t returned to the prison, bound in chains, he would send out his full arsenal at his disposal to ensure at least the Fenrir pelt is returned.”

“Oh, my pelt?” Fen laughed, “Dear sister if Odin and his company couldn’t kill me when I was younger, what makes you think they could now?”

“They didn’t kill me because I bargained with them.” Helen snapped. She saw Fen take a few steps back looking down at her. Her expression softened and she took a seat on the bed, “Odin wasn’t powerless, and you weren’t some invincible threat. I swore to Odin that if he killed you I would bring you back to life every time. I would personally see to it that his prophecy would come true.”

Clearing his throat Fen straightened himself and walked out of the room. Helen didn’t call after him, she knew better than to try his patience right now. He had acted like some major threat to the gods, something they feared at night. Helen had just stripped him of that glory. She never put much stake in prophecies, she always thought they were self-fulfilling, but Fen loved how powerful he was in them. Odin at one point feared the great wolf. 

“Everything okay?” Lottie smiled as they met on the stairs, but it quickly faded when he met her with a sour look, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched.

“Fine.” He spat pushing past her to go down the stairs. 

“Sure doesn't seem like it.” Lottie sneered back, “Don’t have to take it out on me you know.” 

“Don’t mind him.” Helen smiled weakly, “He’s sour when he’s hungry.”

“Must always be hungry then.” she smiled back, “It’s been a pretty long day. I was going to call it a night, but if you wanted to talk-”

“Oh no.” Helen smiled, “Go to sleep.” She slipped into her own room, shutting the door quickly. 

Lottie placed her hand on her own door to open it but paused when she heard the pacing downstairs. By rights she should stay out of it, this was clearly a family matter. Poking her nose into their business was sure to cause trouble. The awkward air was finally starting to clear. 

She had every intention of opening her door and going to bed. Every intention until she thought about how well she and Fen had gotten along earlier. He seemed like a sweet guy, a bit hard-shelled, but kind. He was certainly loving toward his brother and sister. What was truly the harm of just checking up on him? 

She crept down the stairs resting on the bottom three steps as he paced in the kitchen. Fen had the fridge cracked wide open tossing back a few too many bottles of the beer. 

“This is s**t alcohol.” He spat slamming a bottle down while opening another.

“If it’s so bad why do you keep drinking it?” She smiled back.

“Okay sure,” stopping his pacing he glared with glowing golden eyes at Lottie, “Let’s let you decide. You who would probably be spirited away by some blue lights in a forest. Tell me then, what eases your mind? When you know that you’re at someone’s mercy constantly, what then? Your life is playing out based on what others decide for you. You are powerless to change their minds. You-” he coughed while taking another drink, “You can’t do anything because someone is always there ready to stop you from making your own choices.”

Lottie huffed and shrugged, getting to her feet, “You’re right, I guess you do need a drink.” It was late, but she had the day off tomorrow, so what was the harm in staying up a little later than usual? “Mind if I join you?” She smiled, taking a bottle from the fridge and making a point to shut it behind her. “We don’t have time to dissect all of that, but how about you think of something you can control?”

“Whatever I think I can control is just an illusion.” his pacing resumed. He was annoyed mostly about not being able to tell her everything. She couldn’t fully understand the hatred that was running through him right now. 

Lottie shrugged, “Sure can seem like that sometimes.” taking a long gulp, she exhaled loudly, “I’m not going to pretend to understand what you’re going through. I’m just saying let’s get your mind off it for a while.”

He paused, putting his hands on the table leaning over to her, “how would you do that?”

Smiling, she took another drink, “Ever heard of Never Have I Ever?” Her eyebrow twitched, coaxing him.

“Never.” His smile stretched halfway across his face, pulling a seat up with his foot.

“I say something I have never done, if you have done it then you take a drink.”

“I think you’ll find there’d be few things I have done, unfortunately.” He took a seat.

“Fine, then a reversal then,” taking his challenge with full indulgence, “I’m nothing if not flexible. Name something you have done.”

His laughter fell short when he saw the look on her face was completely serious. “What? Something I have done?”

Lottie nodded again, coaxing him on.

“How about not.” Helen cleared her throat, “Sorry Lottie, my brother forgets himself.”

“I think he’s doing fine.” Lottie interrupted, “We were just having a bit of a laugh. No harm in it.”

Fen’s head hung low as he drew up the strength to finish his drink. “No Lottie,” glaring back at his sister, “Helen,” he growled, “She knows what’s best after all.” taking his leave he brushed aggressively past Helen heading up to bed. 

“You didn’t have to do that.” Lottie sighed, 

“You don’t understand,” Helen answered, “I’m sorry, it’s really better if he doesn’t talk to you when he’s intoxicated. He can say some pretty silly things.”

“He says silly things either way, at least he had someone to talk to.”

“He has me and our brother.” Helen glared. She was getting the feeling Lottie was going to overplay her hand. The girl couldn’t find out about them, it would compromise everything and bring Odin closer to finding them. Fen was reckless tonight just for the sake of being reckless. He was testing the bonds just as he had all those years ago.

“Did you ever think that he needs more than that?” Lottie twisted herself to tower over Helen, “I’m not wanting to get in the middle of whatever family spat you’re having. I just thought I’d offer him a little time away from it.” Making her way back to her room she refused to concede her point and Helen couldn’t offer anything else. Hopefully, there wasn't too much damage done and the trio wouldn’t try to move out at their earliest convenience. Lottie was kind of starting to like Fen, if only because he was so obviously desperate to talk to someone. Helen, while she may have been the most secretively hardheaded and manipulative little scamp of the bunch, was still the one most willing to be her friend. Jordan was nearly a lost cause, but Lottie knew that if she could get the two onboard then the other would surely follow suit. 

Once again she found herself with her hand on the doorknob, but she looked over at Fen’s door next to her hoping he would just think to say one final thing tonight.

Inside his room, Fen batted ghost after ghost away from himself. They were a little too wound up tonight and it was absolutely annoying. He growled and shook himself away from them heading to his door where he popped it open and found Lottie staring right back at him. “Oh sorry.” He gasped.

“No you’re fine, I’m just heading to bed.” Lottie smiled and turned the knob finally opening her door.

“No,” correcting his statement from earlier, “I mean I’m sorry about what happened. I was honestly entertained by your idea. I’m sorry Helen ruined it.”

Lottie shrugged, “It’s fine.”

Fen raised his hand to Lottie’s cheek, the back of his fingertips gently caressing her skin, “Thank you for trying.” Moving his face closer to hers he gave her cheek a soft peck.

Her hand shot up, touching the spot where his lips had just been, “What was that for?” She gasped, feeling her face going red.

“It was a thank you.” Fen looked at her like it wasn’t a big deal, she apparently wasn't accustomed to being thanked in the form of kisses before. Before he was captured the women would consider it payment enough, this reaction though, was adorable. It wasn’t a desire, it was innocent, sweet, and unexpected. 

“You’ve been drinking too much.” Lottie gasped again quickly going into her room and shutting the door behind her.