He had never known difficulty like he did in being forcing to accept an undeniable fact; that in being cast out from Asgard, certain sides had been taken, and he’d so happened to end up pulling the short straw. Stripped of his hammer for good measure, the banished thunder god had refocused his attention on working with the Norsemen, who were enjoying the height of their relevancy during these prosperous if ancient times for Midgard.
In doing so, he had found much needed distraction, prone to forget that he, a prince, had been denied any claims to the throne whilst another heir was set to take over due to Odin’s failing health. From what little he can recall, these several years after being betrayed, Loki had met with a similar fate some months after he’d been removed from the realm.
But, as was his typically terrible luck, a part of the home he had wished to forget would decide to pay him an unannounced visit. Travelling by shadow to further highlight their noticeable aversion to the light, the demon as he has come to regard his treacherous sibling as is regarded with a contemptuous sigh, followed by a wiping of hands. He would need to put on pause his current activity to engage this one in friendly – if slightly charged– conversation.
“Ky’lar, for what reason are you here? Do you bring with you dire news concerning Father’s health?”
Dire news. If only things were that cut and dry. If this was years ago, before Thor was thrown out of Asgard, maybe there would have been a shred of truth in his coming words. Maybe, he would have even said that Odin forgave Thor – that maybe he would be let back to see his Father’s final moments.
However, that time was long since past. Ky wasn’t going to allow Thor back – not even if he was requested to drag him back. In Thor’s absence, Ky had grown far more distant – hiding away until the moment was right to appear, and keeping key information just enough out of the way so no one could ‘save’ the day.
“Not even a welcome for your dear brother?” His tone fell flat – almost as if taunting as his arms folded behind his back. “Oh, how far you have fallen – to think, i’m the only one standing to take after Odin.” His tone then switched to something a bit more playful and relaxed. “After he is gone of course. Then again,” he said, taking a step forward.”he could possibly get better, but that’s doubtful.”
Had he been smiling, that remark would serve to dampen any pleasant expression he felt obligated to showcase. If given the choice he’d…rather not return to such a state of inadequacy, with it being enough for him that he’d be forevermore branded with the accursed label of being the unworthy one. Even after newly forged uru was once more placed in his hand.
“Then consider this my statement of intent.” Entirely unfazed by such threats, Thor taps into the well that stores his formidable power, causing his eyes to cast off a dazzling effulgence as static built up to tangible extremes around the restored lord of storms. “We are not meant to be allies, and it is an unfortunate thing to admit that we once were on the same side.”
This fact had knotted rather painfully in his riling guts, falling back into his arrogant and boastful ways with the recovering of his status. Had he learnt anything from his all-too public humbling and humiliation, it is that might and power were the most important aspects of life to him. “Be you gone now, and let us pray that we are never destined to speak again.”
As the reborn God finished, a low feral growl escaped the Demon’s lips. One, that was done out dissatisfaction with the intent rather than the God himself. Ky knew that Thor was formidable – a reason he wanted him on his side-, but getting there was proving to be quite difficult.
When the God was unworthy, it was far easier to coax him into doing what he wanted. Offer a bribe of redemption or power and he’d have the Unworthy one at his side. A worthy ally. One, that Ky wanted – no, needed at his side in this, but there was lingering doubt he’d obtain it once again.
“You can’t accept you were once like me.” Not exactly like him, but close enough in Ky’s mind. Someone who was forced to play by another set of rules. Someone, who had to fight against anyone who stood in their way.
Whether it be by fate or something else… Ky was losing ground. Allies were hard to come by and he needed someone by his side. More importantly, he needed a friend, but admitting that wasn’t going to happen. Not when it was quite clear in his mind that since becoming worthy again… Odinson was no longer capable of being those things.
Not since that declaration of intent. A declaration, that made Ky’lar Richardson furious. “But you can’t deny the truth, Odinson. With or with-out your intervention this will happen – you’re just too blind with worthiness to see it.”
Of those that had made strides to humanise the tumultuous youth, Odinson had made several attempts. Contributed his efforts to see if something good could be made of someone so predisposed to villainous, motivated by his own unworthy state. Though he had yet to find success– and would need to recover from his own rut of damaged spirit first before making any significant process in this venture– he remained undeterred. The parading of Thori was but another step towards something beneficial for the both of them, thinking it beneficial if Ky was visited by something that showed all devils were as cruel and terrible as the stories about them foretold.
“As does this one. He has tussled with Toothgrinder far too frequently.” It seemed ridiculous, for a hel-hound and a goat to be found fighting. Fortunately, Toothgrinder was no mere grass muncher; taller than the blond himself and as long as a small car, the legendary caprine could hold his own with many a god when necessary. “Thori is…a unique case. He was named by my brother and stayed with him as a pup before being separated. He deigned to stay by side after I freed him from the Collector’s cells, and hasn’t budged since. Perhaps you might be able to coax him away for a while? I imagine you both will have much to discuss.”
The part of Ky’lar that wanted to ask questions about the Collector and Toothgrinder was silenced as he started to scratch behind the Ears of Thori. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t have asked them, but rather, it was deemed unimportant for the time being. Ky never had much experience around animals. Nor did he attempt to be around them actively. This hel-hound -sentient or otherwise- was the first one he’d ever been around longer than a few short moments.
"Doubtful,” he said, letting a deep sigh escape his lips. “You know better than most how i am around… anything.” Usually, Ky was disastrous, but even he knew this wasn’t the usual sort of animal. No, this was something different, and deep down… he knew he’d be able to get along with hel-hound. All he had to do was convince himself that he was worthy – no, he deserved to be around such a creature. Especially when his record around anyone – beast or otherwise- wasn’t entirely decent.
“However, I will give it an attempt.” It was the least he could do at any rate. To at least try to be better than he usually was.
“Thori appears to be found of you.” Remarkably, between all the statements of ‘murder!’ voiced by the sentient hel-hound, it is approval that the blond manages to gleam from his barking and yapping, a talent he developed in the weeks he had spent exploring space. During that time, his companions were the stocky canine that paced before his recognised master, a mystic goat that had been like a friend to him since boyhood, and the immense malaise that piled on his back like unwanted weight. It had seen his attitude towards most things turn, in the most delicate of terms, crabby as a consequence. “I am not surprised. Each of you hail from similar reaches of the inferno. Perhaps you would like to take him for, ah, ‘walkies’ sometime.”
There was an old saying that Kin (no matter where they were from) called to Kin. More so when they were from similar areas. Ky never agreed with the claim he was from hell, but would never deny it either. In his mind, he was born on earth, but slowly… he was starting to accept that it wasn’t the full case of the matter. He had always been more feral than human. More distant than most and less agreeable. For as much as he tried, as much as everyone around him tried, he never was able to ‘conform’ to how most humans acted. He never was really ‘there’ and his focus was scattered. However, over the years he’d managed to figure out what was lacking, and found a balance. Something that worked… on most days. Something that centered him and kept him from being eternally at war with himself. Accepting the fact of where he was from – his more prominent half- was just the start. A reason to why he kneeled down and moved to touch the top of the hel-hound’s head to rub it gently. “Most animals growl, bite, nor run in the other direction. Animals on Earth don’t like me that much.” Neither did most people really, but that wasn’t the point.
With the exchange made, Thor had wanted to be free of the man’s company, leaving him to toil and make mistakes by himself. It was an ideal point to conclude their business on, but he couldn’t manage to do so. Some niggling feeling that clambered for him to help Ky’lar achieve his goal had seen the blond’s feet turn to lead, rooted in place. “You have nothing to go on? No lead or clue to base theories upon?” He’d act surprised if he hadn’t seen mortals slip into this habit before. It felt as though they were predisposed to acting without planning ahead, preferring to live on the edge of a topsy-turvy reality. “Surely you must possess some idea as to where to start looking for what you seek?”
“I know a few places.” it was doubtful that what he had in would be anything close to what he wanted, but he didn’t know many realms or… worlds for that matter. His entire knowledge consisted mainly of Earth, Mephisto’s realm, and one or two others. Out of all the realms, he only hand been to a slight few, and knew as much about them as he did about himself. Suffice to say, that was little, but truly admitting such a thing wouldn’t happen. least of all around Thor. “Simply theories, but I will manage.” No, he’d just end up throwing himself into a battleground of sorts into the middle of a war. He’d cause far more damage to whatever side he ended up helping and possibly throw the realm into chaos, but that didn’t matter to him. No, just trying to find some semblance of freedom – or rather, peace was what he was after… even if such a feet would prove to be neigh close to impossible. “As I always do.”
“I liked you better when you were… unworthy.” At least then, Ky could stand to be around the other, but now? It was like nails on a chalkboard. It was getting to the point where every moment near Thor was excruciatingly painful.
“It’s true, you may not ever see a side that has us as… allies, but you need to decide on where you stand.” Not that Ky cared – he just needed to see if his current plans would work. If not, he’d have to make another plan, but truth be told, he had hoped deep down they could have come to some… arrangement.
“If you force me to leave, i’ll take it as you’re siding with them,” disgust spread across his features as he took a step forward. “I’d advise you to chose your next words very carefully, Odinson. Lest you regret them.”
He gives the other all the time that he needs to prepare and then explain the nature of his call for assistance. It also allowed Thor to form his own assumptions based on how they had conducted business in the past. The man was never known to stop by for a friendly chat, and so he found that whenever and wherever Ky showed his face, some new and near impossible task to achieve laid in his future.
A heavy sigh escapes him as Thor’s deep blue gaze bears down upon Ky’lar, glinting brightly beneath the winged helm he once more wore proudly. “When is there an occasion where thoughts concerning thine relatives crowd not that conflicted mind of yours?” He’d almost venture to say it was an unhealthy exercise, had he not already known what his family was like.
In fact, he found it impressive that he was still capable of forging his own path, given the pressures and expectations that were frequently piled upon him.
“Regardless, what is it this time?”
His family was always on his mind or at least in the back of it. Ky couldn’t go a week with-out either his father or grandfather interfering. Once, he was able to go a month, but then he was dragged back home quite forcefully afterwards.
Now, Ky was asking Thor – the one person he wanted to avoid – for help. It was a strange turn of events, but not entirely unexpected. “My relatives seem to believe they know what is best for me.” It wasn’t the best way of putting things, but not the worst either. Elaborating was needed, but he wasn’t about to tell Thor the entire truth. No, he’d get to that later.
“Unfortunately, I disagree with their methods,” he let a deep sigh escape his lips. “ What I need form you is a way…” he trailed off with a cough. “What I need,” he said again, repeating himself. “ Is a way to prevent being dragged back to my Grandfather’s realm.”
“Yes, you were.” He decides to ignore everything else and focus on the fact that Thor was going to give in. Once, Ky would have enjoyed such a thing, but not when it was quite clear in his mind that submitting to plans wasn’t going to get them anywhere.
Maybe if the situation was reversed, it would have worked, but for the time being, there was no way possible for it to. The moment Thor gave in was the moment that everything Ky was betting on would be lost. A reason to why his disgust was aimed and directed at Thor’s own movements and actions or rather, in-actions.
“It doesn’t matter what you say you weren’t going to do, your actions speak for themselves.” More importantly, Ky wasn’t going to let Thor go back down that road; not unless it was absolutely necessary. “Not to mention,” he said, taking a step forward, “We’re both stuck here and i’m -” he cut himself off for a few moments as he flashed a grin towards the other, and started over his previous stateement.
“Not to mention,” he said again, “You’re not leaving anytime soon.” Ky then gripped one of Thor’s shoulders, “So, it’s about time get with the program, and do exactly what I say.”
Hellfirebound 