"The Shape of Things to Come" (Csak úgy kísérletezésből és szórakozásból)

The distant thundering noises of the explosions had ceased for some time when the Queen of Heven entered the golden throne room of Asgard. The bombardment and the terrible clamor of the siege her army laid to the Golden City stopped. All hung in eager anticipation as the top commanders met.
All the warriors in gilded, shining armor stiffened their grip on their weapons. Anxious and angry looks followed the intruder, as she casually walked down the hall, her footsteps echoing in the dead silence that fell between the stone walls.
She seemed relaxed, maybe cheerful even as she almost glided gently, with a careless stroll towards the throne and to the people standing in front of it. The remaining three standing children of Odin, King of Asgard.
'Your king has fallen,and I have your sister,' said Angela, as she approached the princes of Asgard. With a smirk on her face she turned her head to look over all their faces, her crimson hair following her every movement. Her smile widened with satisfaction as she saw the looks of horror and disbelief as she threw the golden eyepatch Odin used to wear in front of their feet. The metal clanked on the stone. Otherwise, all was silent.
Thor raised his head after looking at the eyepatch. In his golden hair were straws of white, in his eyes, exhaustion and anger.
'Give our sister back, Angela,' said he, in a deep voice that once roled like thunder. 'And we shall set our prisoners free.'
Angela's laughter cracked up like the sound of dancing hellfire. She threw her head back in mirth and then she turned her face once more to Thor.
'You must be joking. Leona, Princess of Asgard in exchange for a couple of officers and footsoldiers? You must take me for a fool.'
All were silent once more. The lady with the golden hair standing between the princes looked at Angela for a long time in contemplation. With her broad shoulders, slender, athletic body covered in gilded armor, she was as tall as Thor standing next to him, only her cloak floating down her back was not crimson-red but pure white. Angela looked at her and the two women locked gazes for a second as in measuring up one another. Then she turned her head, still gazing at the valkyrie standing before her, before turning her eye to the black-haired prince clad in emerald.
'Nothing from you, Loki? Have your silver tongue grown finally silent?'
The prince looked over his siblings and then turned to Angela. His lips opened to an apologetic smile, widening to a grin of mischief. He shrugged his shoulders.
'It is not every day we are graced with the visit of the Queen of Heven. I'm not entirely sure what this visit means. After all, your army is all around in Asgard. What can we potentially help you with?'
'You can surrender,' said the Queen, and her tone finally grew tense and menacing. She turned her head once more, looking over all the warriors and valkyries standing in the room.
'The throne of Odin has fallen. It is time that I, Queen of Heven bring Asgard down. Heven will finally take its place atop the Ygdrassil from which Odin has cruelly cast it out. You can lay down your weapons and spare the lives of all Asgardians. I have come for your king and your glory, not your lives.'
She looked at the princes once more. Thor stood there in anguish, speechless. Loki took a deep breath, contemplating. The lady in gold-white returned the stare and then, finally, she stepped forward, her helmet under one arm.
'But you are still our sister, just as Leona. Bring her back to us. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. Still. If your siege continues,' she said, her altmezzo voice ringing with strength among the stone walls, 'We shall break every one of your waves upon these walls. This is a family dispute. This is a one-woman campaign of revenge. Break your siege and come to us as an equal. And we shall talk... Or otherwise, you shall die... Sister.'
It was the red-haired queen's turn to tilt her head in contemplation.
'I have seen you on the battlefield. Your flames blasted through my soldiers and you took down one of my best lieutenants. I have to tell you, I'll avenge her.'
'It happens so that I know a thing or two about avenging,' said the golden-haired valkyire-princess in defiance. Her smile spread through her face. She stepped one step closer and now stood right in front of Angela. Glacier-blue and emerald-green eyes locked. 'You have to really mean it.'
The Queen drew a long breath and finally answered. Behind her grin, she was slightly taken aback.
'I have heard about you, but truly, it is different to meet you. Yes. You definitely have the eyes, the hair and the pride. Not quite the vain arrogance though. Finally, a worthy child of Odin? It is a moment to remember, the day I met you... Aurora.'
The princess returned the smile.
'You can call me Elise, too. Midgardian name, midgardian upbringing. We are both lost daughters, you and I. We are both children of Odin, whether you want to accept it, or not. And as much as I am both Elise and Aurora... As you are both Angela and Aldrif.'
The Queen looked into one sky-blue eye and then the other.
'In another life... Sister.'
And then she turned around and marched off, footsteps echoing in the golden hall. Aurora could have sworn that behind the final sigh, there was a hint of regret.
As the large gates closed, she turned around. Her two brothers looked at her. She walked in the opposite direction that Angela left. She walked towards them and the throne.
'And now what,' said Loki sarcastically. 'This piss-contest served nothing. Your father is most likely dead and our sister will soon follow.'
Every eye turned towards the majestic, golden chair, empty as Odin left it. Aurora looked up to it, too. And then she turned to her left and looked at her brother.
Thor, the once kingly god of thunder, crown prince of Asgard, looked back at her. After Jane Foster died, Elise watched him drop the hammer, never to raise it again. Jets of grey appeared in his golden hair and wrinkles under his eyes. He looked worryingly like their father.
They looked at each other. And to the unspoken question, Thor, ever so gently and silently, shook his head.
Aurora turned to her right and looked at her other brother. Loki raised his eyes to meet hers. He started to grin again.
'As much as I'd love it,' he said in a cheerful voice, 'I have to admit. I am no war commander. Never acquired the taste for it.'
Aurora then turned around. She looked over the crowd. Thor's head bowed in grief, Loki looking away, every gaze locked onto her face. And then she knew. She knew what she had to do.
She knew what she had to become.

Turning once more, her long legs took every step slowly up on the stairs. She reached it and first touched the armrest with a finger, gently stroking the carved stone as in disbelief of what lied ahead. As if her eyes watered and she could barely look at the glowing morning fog that slowly rolled up to reveal to her the face of the shape of things to come.

And then she turned around and sat down on the throne.
There was a rushing sound of movement of limbs clad in metal. Thor went down on one knee and the valkyries. Then the soldiers and then their officers. And then the whole of the throne room was kneeling before the throne.

And she raised a hand and the crowd stood up.
'The night is darkest before the dawn. But I promise you, the dawn will come. Prepare for battle.'
And with newfound bravery, metal sounds of unsheathed swords filled the room at the command of the Queen of Asgard.