Chapter One: Visions

THE GLITTERING GOLD PALACE OF ASGARD STOOD proudly while surrounded by luscious greenery and beautiful architecture. Asgard was revered as one of the most beautiful realms in the universe and that was a fact. Asgard is home to a race of people called Asgardians. Asgardians have thrived off of the riches their wonderfully advanced home possesses. Their lives are compared to those of Gods and Goddesses which is most likely why Midgardians believe them to be so. However, that could also be due to the fact that they have immense strength, the ability to use magic and can live incredibly long lives.

Asgard is ruled over by a family of royalty. The royal family of Asgard is admired in their world for the way they safeguard their people. Asgard, one out of the nine realms, is ruled over by the fearsome King Odin and his wife, the gorgeous Queen Frigga. The King and Queen have three children who help keep the nine realms in order.

The eldest child and first son, who is next in line for the throne, is the arrogant Thor; God of Thunder. With shoulder-length golden locks, dazzling, bright blue eyes and a charming smile, Thor was undoubtedly a man of blunt force and strength. He was known for his drunken stupors and late night gatherings in the palace that kept all of Asgard awake. He was a very compulsive man who never asked questions before he acted which resulted in some difficult situations where he usually had to fight his way out. However, Thor is the chosen son, and he did not believe that his behavior was that any less than how a true proud prince would act.

The middle child and second son was the reserved Loki; God of Mischief. Despite his brother's beaming appearance, bright eyes and light colored hair, Loki looked to be the complete opposite. He had dark obsidian hair, that contradict that of the rest of his family, and narrow dark green eyes. Unlike his brother, Loki was not a very social person and tended to spend his time in the palace library reading or with his mother and sister practicing Seiðr. He lived up to his name as the God of Mischief by causing trouble through the tricks he would play on others.

The youngest child and only daughter was the innocent Delphia; Goddess of Virtue. Delphia was a girl who loved to socialize at her oldest brother's parties while also indulging herself in the extensive library with her other brother. However, despite her knack for interacting with others, her mother and father looked after her every waking moment. She had always been a girl of curiosity from a young age and because of that, her parents feared she would get hurt. If she was not within her own chambers then she was being watched by either her parents or the guards of their palace. Delphia was not like any other being on Asgard. She held an immeasurable amount of power that no other Asgardian possessed. For that, she was under constant surveillance. Even though under constant surveillance someone may feel trapped, Delphia didn't look at the downside of it, as she always looked on the bright side of every situation.

At the moment, Delphia sat perched on a stone bench in the courtyard of the magnificent palace. She hummed to herself as she wove a crown of flowers in her hand. It was made of different types of flowers that varied in sizes and colors. It was quite a spectacle to watch her handiwork as she made it look like childsplay. The blazing sun gazed down on her as she continued her work while two guards, dressed in golden armor, stood with their backs erect only a few feet from her like they usually did.

It is a normal occurrence to have at least two guards follow her around when she wandered off on her own. Her family was certain that she needed protection at all times, despite the fact that she had been trained by her father and brothers in the past and knew how to fight. She was actually quite decent when it came to fighting and could hold her own against any possible opponents. However, she didn't mind the guards. She enjoys everyone's company, even if they stood by her side silently.

Her humming halted as she smiled softly and didn't look up from her work, "I see you're back from your recent escapade."

A hearty laugh sounded from behind her, "you are never one to be snuck up on, sister."

Delphia shook her head fondly and finally halted her weaving to face her brother. Her smile nearly blinded Thor as soon as he saw it. "You cannot sneak up on a Völva, Thor! You should know that!" She giggled cheerfully, "I find it quite funny that you even think you can."

Thor's laughter boomed once again as he moved to join his sister on the stone bench. "I should remember that you seers never allow any of us to have our fun."

She scoffed at his comment that seemed to offend her, "I allow you to have your fun! I enjoy it when you throw your extravagant parties!" With that said she placed the flower crown she had been making on top of her head and continued to smile widely. The flowers rested on her head perfectly and complemented her long brown hair flawlessly.

"Yes, but I would enjoy scaring you as Loki does to me at times." Thor couldn't help but pout. His younger sister giggled childishly at his words and shook her head.

"Loki is a master of sorcery, playing tricks is his specialty."

"I find it unfair!"

"You find what unfair?" A velvety, smooth voice asked from behind the two. The two of them turned to find that it was their beautiful mother who stood behind them. With long, wavy ruby hair, porcelain-like skin and bold blue eyes, she was a vision. It was no wonder why she was the queen of Asgard.

"Thor does not appreciate Loki's tricks," Delphia giggled as her mother stood next to them. "He also does not like how he cannot sneak up on me."

Queen Frigga shook her head as she found her children's antics amusing. "I can imagine your frustrations, Thor." She couldn't help but chuckle. Her eldest son had always been one for physical strength, unlike her other children. Her youngest son always surrounded himself in books and focused on improving his skill in Seiðr. He was more focused on his intellect rather than his physic. Her only daughter was a mixture of both. She loved to socialize like Thor and was brilliant in combat, but she also loved to practice her magic and, from time to time, enjoys her solitude, like Loki. Frigga loved her children all the same, however. Despite all their differing qualities, she was proud of all three of them. "I did come out here for a reason, my children."

"You came to tell us that food will be served shortly," came Delphia's reply as she already knew why their mother had come out to fetch them.

Frigga smiled, "yes, my dear. Now come." The two younger Asgardians followed after their mother as she glided across the courtyard back inside the palace. Guards followed after them as they all started to make their way towards the dining hall. Pillars of gold surrounded them as they walked through the enormous halls of their home. Servants bowed to them respectively as they passed which they returned with kind smiles.

Hearty laughter bounced around the halls just outside the ginormous golden doors of the dining hall. Many friends, diplomats and guests of the royal family had already begun to eat the food that was presented to them. They gobbled down meats and fruits while also drowning themselves in elegant wine and strong alcohol. Stories of past adventures were tossed around the table as were jokes and gossip. It was a normal night in the Asgard palace.

When the three members of the royal family entered the busy dining hall loud cheers greeted them. Frigga bid her children farewell as she glided across the shiny floor towards her husband. Thor, after wishing his mother well, was quick to join in the laughter and bounded over to his friends where he was greeted with a large cup of ale and wide smiles.

Delphia sashayed around the room. She socialized with many of her friends, listened to stories from different warriors and started to eat some food. Soon enough she found herself sitting next to one of her best friends, Lady Sif.

"You should have joined us today for a spar!" Sif exclaimed loudly over all of the other chatter. "I had to fight the boys myself, and they posed no challenge today."

Delphia chuckled, "I'm sorry, mother wished to work with me this afternoon." She apologized as the warriors three were drawn to their conversation. "I have been having… fewer visions, recently, and mother wanted to make sure that they didn't disappear completely."

"Fewer visions?!" Volstagg asked in mock horror with his mouth full of food. "That sounds horrible! For what is a Völva without her visions?"

Fandral whacked Volstagg on the shoulder which knocked the goblet out of the red-haired man's hand, "don't joke about the Princess, Volstagg." He chastised before flashing Delphia a charming smile. Said woman rolled her eyes at the womanizer and shared an amused look with Lady Sif. It was known all over the kingdom that Fandral was the heartthrob of Asgard. Just about every woman swooned over the warrior at any time. It was also known that the man was pining after the Princess of Asgard. However, the Völva never reciprocated any emotions he had for her.

"It is strange," Hogun stated in confusion and wonder.

Delphia nodded her head with pursed lips, "yes, I would never have believed the possibility of my powers being dampened."

"If your powers have dissipated, then I suppose that means you have more time to fight with us!" Volstagg yelled happily. Delphia shook her head and gulped. She didn't want to lose her ability to see into the future. Of course, when she was younger, there were many times when her powers had scared her to the point where she wished for them to disappear. However, as time moved on, and she grew older, her powers had become apart of her and of who she is. To get rid of her powers meant getting rid of a part of her. Her powers as a seer might have proved to be a burden at times, but she had learned to carry the job as the last Völva in Asgard proudly. If she lost her powers, there would be no one else able to do it.

"As if she would spend her time fighting," a cold voice sneered. The group turned to find the second prince of Asgard standing behind his younger sister with a glare pointed towards the warriors. "If she were to lose her powers, which I doubt is a possibility, I'm positive she would not waste her time with such an activity."

"Don't be rude, Loki." Delphia gasped. She knew that her brother was not fond of Lady Sif and the warriors three, however, he tolerated them because both her and Thor were friends with them. "I would spend just as much time with you as I would with them." She turned back to the blank expressions of her friends as Loki rolled his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes, brother!"

The table chuckled with each other as Loki huffed, "I thought you were having fewer visions?"

"I am, I just know you, Loki."

---

The dinner in the palace had slowly died down as some guests left to retire to their homes. However, Thor and few other drunken Asgardians had decided to have their own small gathering and continued to drink as much as their stomachs would allow them. Delphia had grown tired and wished to retire to her chambers. She bid her brothers and friends farewell before she left the hall. As usual, two guards trailed after her as she made her way through the halls, but they were halted.

"You two may go," Frigga told them as she approached, "I can bring my daughter to her chambers." The guards bowed in understanding before marching off somewhere else. Frigga looped her arms with Delphia and began to lead her off. "Do you feel better, my dear?" The concern that laced her voice was evident.

Delphia sighed, "better than I was this afternoon." She started, "my mind is clearer than before and my body does not ache when I walk."

Frigga tightened her arm around Delphia's, "I wish that you weren't in so much pain."

"It comes with the burden of being a Völva," Delphia shrugged.

Her mother shook her head and stopped both of them from walking, "not this sort of pain, Delphia." Her daughter stared at her with confused eyes, "there haven't been many Völvas in our history, however, the ones that have existed have never experienced what is happening to you." She moved a piece of Delphia's long chestnut hair behind her ear.

"What does that mean?"

"Your visions appear to be reserving themselves and preparing for something."

Delphia paused and thought for a moment. She never thought of the lack of her vision could be caused by something like that. If anything, she believed that her powers were disappearing as she grew old, that she wasn't allowed to have them anymore and they were slowly being stripped away. "Preparing… for what, mother?"

"I do not know… but it must be for something of immeasurable importance, and I'm sorry," Frigga held Delphia's cheeks with her hands, "but I fear you will go through even more pain than you already have."

Delphia stared at the worry that was etched on her face and began to worry herself. Earlier in the day, Delphia and her mother were trying to meditate and force her into a vision. Their plan was successful, however, the vision she had was distorted. It was as if she was trapped inside of a nightmare instead of showing her the future. Once it was over, she was immediately brought to a team of healers who had to stop her seizures. It was excruciating to endure and if her powers were preparing for something far worse than what she has already been through… She didn't know how she was going to cope.

"I will be ready for it," Delphia declared after a moment of consideration, "if I am to endure such pain, then I will not fear it, but instead be ready for it. I was given the power of foresight for a reason, perhaps this is it."

Frigga smiled softly at her daughter, "you are a strong woman, Delphia. I know you will be ready for anything."

Delphia smiled at the faith her mother had in her and pulled away from her to yawn. "All of this talk of my powers has caused me to become weary, it seems." Delphia tried to jest.

Frigga chuckled and started to lead them both down the hall once again, "then I suggest we retire to our chambers."

---

The next day was just as beautiful as the day before while Asgardians went about their daily lives. Merchants opened up their shops for the day, guards stood rigidly at their posts and the royal family performed their royal duties. Delphia had just finished her meditation session with her mother and was ordered to take a break. She decided to clear her mind by taking a stroll through the courtyard in hopes that the scenery would distract her. They were unsuccessful in producing a vision for her, no matter how hard they tried. After what she and her mother spoke about the night before, Delphia was anxious to find out what her powers were preparing for.

She suspected it to be a vision itself. However, she feared that the vision was going to show her a devastating future. She didn't know if she could bare seeing it because if it was something terrible, she would want to stop it.

Delphia was a woman who valued live. To her, all forms of life were precious and everyone's life was important. If she were to even see a vision of death and destruction of so many lives, it may break her. Especially if so many of those lives were innocent beings who had so much left to do in their lives. In the past her visions have been of minuscule things such as a random conversation or of weather, not many were of death. Even if they were, they were usually of people of old age in hospital beds who passed peacefully. She hadn't seen many gruesome deaths in her life.

"Why do you look so depressed, Delphia?" Loki asked as he approached his sister from behind. He dismissed the guards with a wave of his hand which caused them to bow and headed back into the palace. He had just finished speaking with his mother about Delphia's situation and had sought her out. Loki knew that he would be able to find her in the courtyard as she spent most of her time there.

Delphia turned around and tried to give her brother a smile. "I did not realize that I looked so sad," she jested. She didn't even know that her internal feelings had been displayed on her face. She was an open book to anyone and had a hard time hiding her feelings. Which was why she was the Goddess of Virtue and not the Goddess of Deception.

Loki studied her, "you didn't answer my question." Delphia sighed and looked away. "Are you saddened by the sudden disappearance of your powers?" He had noticed that his sister had become upset ever since it was discovered that her powers appeared to be disappearing. He didn't want her to be upset but there wasn't much that he could do to help her regain her powers.

"I only fear what it could mean."

Loki shot her a confused look as he fell in step with her. They had begun to stroll along the luscious courtyard as many of their loyal servants performed their duties around them. His mind began to wonder what she could have meant by that. There was a large possibility that she feared losing her abilities because it was an enormous part of her life. However, from the tone of her voice, he felt as though that wasn't what she meant.

"Fear?"

Delphia nodded her head, "I spoke with mother last night, and she speculated what was happening with my powers." She took a shaky breath and closed her eyes briefly. "She suspects that my powers are preparing themselves for a vision that could be the most devastating one that I will ever have."

Loki hummed and considered what she said, and Delphia could feel his concern eyes burning into the side of her head. "And you fear what the vision could be?"

Delphia feared that immensely but would endure it to see what exactly it was. She wanted to know what possible horrible future was coming. However, it wasn't like she could do anything about it. She couldn't change what happened, nor could she warn anyone. She hated that part of her powers. She always felt helpless in that regard.

"Yes."

The siblings walked tensely with each other in silence as Delphia allowed Loki to take in the information. She didn't know how he was going to react to the news that she presented him. What if he made fun of her for her worries? What if he didn't think that what was happening to her wasn't as important as she thought it was? Then again, what if it really didn't mean anything?

"You have always been a strong person, Delphia." Loki finally commented after the moment of silence, and of Delphia worrying, passed. "I do not imagine you being defeated by what your powers might bring upon you."

The woman smiled brightly and latched onto her older brother's arm, "you believe so, Loki?"

"Oh, I know so!"

The two of them laughed with each other happily as they continued to walk. As long as her family had faith in her, Delphia was sure that she would face her powers head on. Whatever they would hurtle at her, she would not back down in the slightest.

Suddenly, Delphia felt a cold feeling tug at her chest as anxiety pooled in the bottom of her stomach. Her head felt as though it had been full of water and her limbs tingled.

She was having a vision.

Loki watched Delphia pause in her steps as her bright smile slipped off her face and her eyes glazed over. Her once hazel eyes became milky and as pale as a sheet while her breath hitched. Loki paused as well. It wasn't uncommon for his sister to have visions at random times instead of in her sleep or during meditations. However, he could see that this vision was different. She whimpered and Loki was at her side in an instant. He peered down at her and held her shoulders as she swayed on her feet. This was what she feared, he could tell. This is what her powers were preparing for, and he could tell that she was going to experience an unimaginable amount of pain.

He held her as she began to collapse to the ground while holding her head in pain. His eyes were wide in horror as she started to convulse and cry out. "Delphia! Calm down, Delphia! Can you hear me!" He worried over his sister as she gripped his arms tightly. He gently tried to lay her down on the grass as softly as he could. However, that proved to be a challenge as she shook violently.

She groaned. She felt as though a million needles were being shoved into her skin while someone hit her over the head with Mjolnir. She screamed, "All of those people!" She panted out as emotions and images flashed in her mind, "so many dead! The pain! All their pain! I can feel it all!"

Loki cradled her as others in the courtyard started to walk towards them in order to see what was the commotion. "Breath, Delphia!" He tried to speak softly over her cries and cradled her face between his own shaking hands. "Focus on my voice!"

It was as if she hadn't heard him as she continued to speak. "There are so many screaming!" Tears ran down her red cheeks as she sobbed loudly. Her eyes finally lost their misty color and focused on her brother as she cried even more. "I can hear their screams, Loki! They won't stop!"

"Sister, please!" Loki begged as he couldn't stand watching her like that. His own eyes started to glaze over with tears as he could only watch her convulse.

"They won't stop! They're so loud!"

"Guards! Help!" He called out desperately and looked for aid from anyone around them.

"It hurts!" She screamed which startled the servants who came to see what was happening. A group of royal guards rushed over to the members of the royal family quickly. Once they saw the Princess convulsing in the Prince's arms, they knew just where to bring her. One of the guards helped Loki lift the violently shaking girl and carried her away. They all ran through the doors of the palace in search of the nearest healer.

---

After Loki had gained help to bring his sister to the healers, Odin, Frigga, and Thor had immediately been informed about what had happened. The brothers were left to pace in the corridors while their parents were allowed to enter the healer's wing to check on Delphia. Her screams had died down slightly but every once and awhile they could hear her whimpers and cries from inside.

As soon as he arrived, Thor had demanded an explanation from Loki. Shaken slightly by the ordeal with his sister, Loki had told his older brother about what had happened. He detailed the conversation they had and the sudden vision she had been dragged into.

Now, Loki and Thor waited anxiously outside the doors leading to the room where the healers were working. It seemed that what Delphia had feared had come to pass. They could only hope that she would recover from it. They knew that she was a strong woman. There was no doubt in their minds that she would pull through the trauma. However, what affects the vision would leave on her were unknown to them.

"They have been there long enough," Thor gruffly commented in irritation. He wanted to make sure that his sister was alright. He could not do that if a door separated them.

Loki halted his brother before he could bust through the doors and possibly interrupt the healing process. "Calm down, brother," he tried to soothe. He was just as worried about Delphia as Thor, however, he was willing to be more patient than the blond man. "We must wait for them to come to us with news, we cannot barge in there while they are in the middle of healing her."

Thor clenched his jaw but complied with his brother's words. He was far beyond worried for their little sister and wanted to make sure that she was alright. For now, he would wait just like Loki suggested.

"Fine."

Meanwhile, inside the healer's room, Delphia twitched as she laid on the healing table. Multiple healers used their magic hastily as they tried to stop her thrashing. She whimpered every couple of moments. Her words were barely understandable as she continued to mutter them through her spasms.

Her mother and father watched her in concern. Frigga held onto her husband and flinched each time Delphia yelled out in pain. She hated watching her only daughter suffer like that. Whenever she had helped Delphia practice controlling her visions there had been times where Frigga witnessed her daughter in pain. However, it was never to this extent.

Odin watched with a keen eye as the healers tried desperately to calm down his daughter. Despite everyone having a hard time figuring out what she was saying, Odin grew tense as he was able to make out what she was crying about.

"The infinite six will be joined!" Her voice cracked in desperation and the fear overwhelmed each of her words. Odin had a strong feeling that he already knew what his daughter was seeing, but he didn't know what to make of it, at least, completely.

She convulsed wildly for a moment longer before the healers were finally able to calm her down. It appeared that her vision had finally ended. She was far too exhausted from what she had witnessed to do anything else as she became still.

For a moment the room was silent, far too silent. Frigga had gasped when she didn't hear or see Delphia breathing. Her chest was still and her face was completely void of any emotion. The healers also thought that the young Princess had lost her battle against her vision and had grown quiet. They failed in their task of keeping the young woman alive. The room's atmosphere grew somber and grim. It appeared that they had lost the life of their beloved Delphia.

Though it only appeared that way.

Delphia let out a sharp gasp as her back arched against the stone table she was laying on. Everyone in the room allowed themselves to relax slightly, however, they all moved hastily to ensure that she was well. The healers bustled around the room and used everything they could to make sure that the young royal was stable. She laid on the stone table with her eyes lidded as she took shaky, shallow breaths. Only after a moment did she allow her eyes to slide shut and to fall asleep.

Frigga sighed in relief as the arms of her husband tightened around her as he too was comforted by the fact that their daughter was sable. The vision she had was definitely one that involved a horrible premonition of the future. They could only hope that she would soon become conscious after a while so they could confirm that she was alright. For now, they could only watch with uneasiness as the healers continued to fuss over Delphia's unconscious body.

---

The news about the princess' wellbeing had spread quite fast throughout Asgard. As suspected, all of the Asgardians began to worry over their beloved princess. She had fallen asleep and had yet to wake up after three days. Her skin had become pale while her hair surrounded her like a dark, still ocean. She had become deathly still. The only movement that was visible was the subtle rise and fall of her chest.

Her family had waited to the best of their ability for Delphia to wake up. Odin and Frigga had each been patient with her recovery. They spent their time visiting her when they could for only a few minutes before returning to their royal duties. It wasn't that they weren't worried about their daughter, they had responsibilities to attend to, which took time away from their opportunity to check on Delphia.

Her brothers had been far more restless when compared to their parents. Loki was willing to wait and let her rest, however, he missed her every moment she was asleep. He missed getting to sit with her in the library as they enjoyed each others company silently. He missed walking around the palace courtyard with her. He even missed listening to her scolding words as she reprimanded him for his tricks.

Thor, on the other hand, had demanded that the healers try to wake her up themselves. Not only had he ignored the healer's explanations that it would only harm her further if they did that, but he also had shouted at his brother to try and help as well. He accused Loki of not wanting to help their little sister, that he didn't care whether or not she recovered fully. Of course, Loki had been offended by his remarks but allowed them to pass. Loki knew that they were all affected by Delphia's state. He couldn't fault Thor for his behavior, at least, entirely.

The brothers had made sure to avoid each other. Especially after the two had an argument over Delphia's condition. Thor had delved himself deep into his sparring with Lady Sif and the Warrior Three and worked on his combat. Loki had locked himself away in the palace library and focused on his practice with Seiðr. The brothers may have not gotten along completely before but for the past three days, they've been far more emotional than before which caused tension to blossom between them. The one thing that they were able to agree on was that they wanted Delphia to wake up. She was the glue that kept them together and, without her, their sibling bond was suffering.

On the fourth day of her comatose state, Delphia was lying on the silky, soft sheets of her bed. She had been moved into her enormous, luxurious room after the healers were certain she was in a stable condition. All they could do was make sure that she was comfortable when she actually woke up.

As normal, Asgard was bathed in the bright light of the sun which caused it to shine brightly. However, under the shimmering display of the realm, there was still a slight sense of melancholy in the air due to the fact that Princess Delphia had yet to awaken. Everyone within the godly realm had been holding bated breath in anxiety and hoped for her recovery.

At Delphia's bedside, Frigga sat on a chair while holding her daughter's hand. Frigga had just finished dealing with a few minor issues concerning a few servants that had to be attended to before she arrived at her daughter's chambers. She was fretful for the health of her youngest child and only daughter. Though she knew that Delphia will pull through as she was strong.

Standing next to his mother, Loki stared at the unmoving figure of his younger sister with his iris' swimming in anxiety. He had postponed his studies and practice for a short time in order to see his sister. Loki had decided to visit his sister to see if there was any sign of her waking up but there was still no indication of her stirring from her sleep. His entire being had been gripped by fear for the last few days as many other people. He feared she would never wake up. He feared that if she did wake up she would be permanently damaged because of her traumatic reaction to the vision she had seen. He feared what exactly she had seen.

His family had spoken on a few occasions to try and understand what Delphia's vision may have been. They obviously couldn't guess exactly what it was she had seen, however, they could only speculate that it was of something horrific. Could it be a war? If so, where was it? Who was involved? Or was it something else? Was it of Ragnarok? Had she seen the death of all of their people and the destruction of their home? Nobody was sure…

"Delphia is strong, Loki," Frigga commented as she seemingly felt the turmoil swirling within her son's mind. "She will wake up."

Loki sighed, "I know that she is. Whatever it was that she had seen is no doubt extremely traumatic."

"Yes, but all we can do is wait," Frigga commented as she brushed a lock of hair from Delphia's forehead. Loki nodded his head in agreement. The mother and son fell into an uneasy silence as they gazed on the young woman who was peacefully sleeping. The swirl of emotions, hope, and uncertainty, moved around within the both of them over the safety of Delphia.

Suddenly a sharp gasp broke the moment of silence as Delphia's eyes snapped open. Her hazel eyes were blown wide open as the bright rays from the sun blinded her for a few moments. She swallowed thickly and took in her surroundings. Loki and Frigga were at her side in an instant. They began to fuss over her as she tried to understand what was happening.

It had only taken four days, but their princess had finally woken up! The worry that was thick throughout the realm could finally be subdued as Delphia was now laying on her bed conscious. Her mother and brother had sent for a healer while they made sure that the young woman was comfortable in her bed. Many questions were shot at her like arrows that could pierce her skin and leave a gruesome mark. She may have been conscious but not enough to comprehend every word that was spoken to her. She needed a moment to collect herself. The healers noticed this and urged the royal family to be patient for Delphia to recover completely.

Of course, the family obliged (Thor did begrudgingly) and only spoke soothing words of comfort and relief. As the king and queen occasionally had to leave to attend to certain duties and Thor had some friends to see, Loki didn't leave his sister's side. Why had he not left her side? Could it be that he was just extremely worried about his sister to the point where he would not let her leave his sight? Perhaps it had to do with the fact that he was there to witness her digression into a screaming mess. The fact that his sister was screaming in agony as he held her shook him to his core. He was unable to ease her pain in the slightest. Even if he had used Seiðr to try and subdue some of the pain, his attempts would have been in vain. No matter how many times he had tried, Delphia's visions would not be affected by any sort of magic, much to Loki's dismay. He wanted to make sure that his baby sister was safe and cared for. He could not achieve that goal if she constantly had visions that caused her pain, anguish, and nightmares.

On several occasions, Delphia had to be reminded that she was finally out of her horrendous vision. There were some points in the first few hours of her waking up that Loki had to soothe her as she cried about all the death and destruction she saw. It broke his heart to see Delphia so torn up about something that had yet to happen.

---

Delphia cradled a bowl of piping hot soup in her hands as she delicately ate the food. The healers and her family had finally stopped fussing over her so much and allowed her to have some alone time. Some time had passed since she woke from the terrifying vision she had seen. She was unsure just how much time had passed as time started to blur for her. Perhaps it was a few hours? Then again she had woken up in the afternoon and now it was morning… She must have woken up a day or so ago. She could only blame her vision for causing her confusion.

She shivered at the thought of the terror she had seen and felt. The fact that she wasn't able to really tell anyone what was to happen made it all the more bitter for her. She was unable to confide in anyone about all of the people she had seen dying all over the realm. Every time she closed her eyes she could see the brightly colored six stones that shone powerfully as they seemingly taunted her. She could also clearly see the sickening smile of the Mad Titan. Oh, the future she saw… was one she wished wouldn't come to pass. For once, she wished that her vision was completely wrong and all she saw was a twisted nightmare.

Her hands trembled as her mind was consumed once again with the images of people seemingly turning into dust. She could still see their ashes drifting on the wind as they disappeared from existence. Her ears started to ring with the screams of confusion and agony as they infiltrated her thoughts and took over her being. Her breathing picked up again as her hands shook harder. She was unable to keep hold of the bowl as it slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground.

Her frail body was racked with tremors as she started to sob. Hundreds of images flashed in her mind and behind her eyelids when she desperately tried to get rid of the flashes. She was completely enamored by the images that she didn't notice Thor had come bursting through the doors of her bedroom and over to her bedside.

He was on his way to meet Lady Sif and the Warrior three when he heard screams and cries from his sister's chambers. He had instantly rushed to her room in great haste and threw open the doors to find Delphia shaking uncontrollably while she cried out. He gazed frantically at his young sister as she clutched onto her bed with strength that could rival his own.

"Delphia?" He shouted out and gripped her shoulders tightly in order to try and stop her shaking. "Calm down, sister!" He shouted over her cries and shushed her with comforting words. He hated seeing his dear sister suffering so much. "Shh, calm down." It was strange to see the mighty Thor acting so soft towards anyone. However, it was well known that Thor, like many other people, held Delphia close to his heart. Due to her being so innocent and pure, Thor had a strong belief that it was his duty as a brother and prince to shield her from the evil in the world. Though that proved to be hard when Thor was unable to protect her from her own mind and magic.

Delphia started to focus on her older brother's voice as she tried to draw herself from her mind. It proved to be a slightly harder challenge than she thought, but she managed with Thor's help. After the two made sure that Delphia was calm enough and could breathe normally, Thor instantly brought her into a hug. Delphia snuggled into Thor's chest and closed her eyes in exhaustion.

"I am alright," Delphia let a sigh after she took a deep breath. "I am sorry if I… startled you, Thor."

Thor shook his head and tried to smile softly, "you did not startle me."

Delphia shook her head and gulped, "I feel like such a burden with all of my fussing."

The fact that she thought she was a problem for anyone baffled him immensely. How could she think that she was even close to being a burden to anyone? He did admire that about his sister, however. She was far too humble for her own good! He could barely count the number of times she had put the needs of others before herself. She had done that all of her life ever since she was a child. She made it clear that she wanted everyone to be put before her. She would rather have everyone be comfortable before she was. That aspect of her also forced her to try and see the good in just about everyone.

"You aren't a burden, sister. If anything, we are all happy to help you recover!"

Delphia nodded her head as a grateful smile slowly crawled onto her face, "thank you, Thor." As she continued to smile at her brother they soon dived into a long conversation. Thor retold stories of his spars between his friends and hunts that he had gone on. Delphia loved to hear the stories of triumph and victory that Thor always told. She knew that speaking of battle and hunting made him happy and she always wanted to see him, along with anyone else, happy. Especially with the terrible visions, she always had. A thought began to creep into her mind. Her bright, fond, appreciative smile dipped into an expression of concentration. Once Thor had finished telling a hilarious story about a fight between Lady Sif and Fandral she interjected, "would you mind finding father for me?"

Thor smiled at his sister as he didn't notice her slightly troubled expression. His blue eyes crinkled in the corners due to how large his smile was as he hopped off of her silky bed. "I will find him for you." With that declaration, Thor sauntered out of the room and left Delphia by herself.

Her anxiety was getting the better of her. The devastation she saw was haunting her in the silence of her room. Oh, the screams of innocent people as they watched themselves turn to dust hurt her so much! How could she lay in her bed and do nothing as something as catastrophic as that would happen to so many people? How could she sit in her golden palace as the flesh and bone of so many people were soon to become nothing but ash?

She was consumed by her thoughts and her plans that she barely noticed the doors of her room reopen. Odin stood in the doorway along with his eldest son and could see the uneasy expression on his daughter's face. "Delphia?" Her head snapped up to look at her father. He could see the hollow look in her eyes as they lacked the spark they once held. He had a feeling that she wished to talk to him about her vision. He turned to his son, "Thor, do you mind allowing me to speak with Delphia in private?"

Thor looked between the two of them with a smile as he still hadn't seen the unsettling look that was on his sister's face. He nodded his head, "yes, father." He flashes his sister one final smile before turning away and walking down the hall, no doubt headed outside for a spar.

As soon as Thor had left the two alone, Odin walked over to Delphia's bed and sat down in the spot that Thor had sat in a few moments ago. He reached out his wrinkled hands to hold one of her own and squeezed it as he saw how haunted she seemed to be. Delphia appreciated the comfort he tried to give her but she sighed. "You seem troubled, my dear."

Delphia took a deep breath and nodded her head, "y-yes, I am."

"Tell me what is bothering you."

She sighed and looked away from her father and bit her lip, "my visions…" She wasn't able to finish her thought as her body shivered. Odin nodded his head in understanding. He knew that the future she saw was one that would haunt her for a long time. She referred to the 'infinite six' in her hysterical state a few days ago. He knew what that meant and it was something that he feared Delphia being involved with. "I am… t-terrified by what I saw…"

"Shh…" Odin hushed as he pulled Delphia into an embrace. "I can not imagine what horrors you saw, Delphia."

"I know I can not tell you what I saw, but you must believe me, father," she hesitated slightly with her next statement, "I can not stay here." Odin's eyes widened slightly at her proclamation. What did she mean that she couldn't stay? "The vision I saw father was… horrible and I saw what leads to it. I must leave…" She saw what happened. Not only the end result but also the actions that lead up to it. In order to make sure that the foretold future, that was set in stone, happened according to what she witnessed, she had to leave Asgard.

"Where would you go, my child?" Odin was slightly worried by what his daughter was trying to explain to him. As long as Delphia had lived, she never left Asgard. She was always under the supervision of either her family or a pair of guards. To think that she had to leave… Odin never wanted to imagine her even setting foot in the Bifrost.

Delphia could hear the uncertainty in her father's voice and she gripped his hand tightly. She also didn't like the thought of leaving her family behind, but she had to! "To Midgard." The silence hung in the air after she told her father the news was suffocating. She could see the opposition Odin had to her decision and she was quick to try and explain further. "Father, my vision showed me events that had to take place. I don't know everything, but I know enough to believe that I must leave and go to Midgard. It is the only explanation for what I saw!"

She saw herself on Midgard, in her vision. She looked far different from how she did at that moment and could tell that she had been through a lot. She saw an older version of herself on a flying contraption that was no doubt constructed by the Midgardians. She saw herself surrounded by so many extraordinary people who she didn't doubt would become her friends in the future. She saw herself do things that she didn't imagine herself doing now. Delphia knew that she had to leave in order to make sure that that future came to pass. She didn't want to leave her family… but she could not argue with her visions. No matter how much she wished she could…

Odin sighed, "are you certain, Delphia?"

She nodded her head firmly, "I am." Her eyes hardened in determination though there was an underlying of uncertainty that decorated her irises. "It will only be for a short time, I am sure of it." She licked her lips, "but I have to leave, father, I am sorry."

---

"Father, you can not allow her to do this!" Thor's enraged voice carried through the air sharply. He and Loki were following their father, mother, and sister as they hurried through the palace to their horses. Delphia had explained to her mother what was happening and her plans of leaving. Of course, Frigga was not happy with the thought of her daughter being on her own, but she knew not to argue with Delphia and her visions. The three of them had sought out their horses to head to the Bifrost only to run into the princes.

Despite being in somewhat of a rush, Odin was able to explain what was happening to his two sons. After he had finished his explanation, both men were opposed to the idea of their baby sister leaving their home to venture to Midgard on her own. Loki was a tad bit more understanding on why she had to do it, but he still didn't like it! Thor was beyond understanding. All his life, he and Loki were tasked with making sure that Delphia was always looked after. Now to think that they were just going to let her go on her own to a place she had never set foot in was absurd!

"This has to happen, Thor." Delphia's soft voice explained to him. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears as she tried to get her brother to understand. "I need to leave."

Thor huffed as he didn't want to lash out at his sister as he was very agitated. He wanted to hold onto Delphia and not let her go. "Why? Because your silly visions say so!?"

"Hold your tongue, Thor!" Odin exclaimed in exasperation. He turned to his son as they reached the archway of the palace entrance. "Your sister has made her decision based on something that is out of her control!" His voice was low and held a warning, "you must respect what she is doing, even if you disagree with it."

Thor's jaw clenched as he and his father glared at each other. He turned his eyes away from Odin to look at Delphia who was being held in their mother's arms. Thor sighed in defeat and looked away. He was ashamed of his actions for yelling at them. He didn't want to see Delphia leave so suddenly… but he didn't have a say in the matter as it was Delphia's choice. Thor nodded his head mutely as he came to terms with the fact that Delphia would leave.

Delphia rushed out of her mother's arms and threw herself at Thor. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried herself into his chest. She wanted to make sure that he knew she would miss him. "I am sorry, T-Thor."

He exhaled and held onto her just as tightly, "it is alright, Delphia."

Once the two had let go, Delphia jumped to Loki and embraced him as well. "I-I will miss you both so much!"

Loki hugged her tightly, "It is alright, sister. We will see each other again." His voice was hopeful as he didn't want to think that Delphia would be stuck on Midgard for an eternity while the rest of their family stayed on Asgard.

Delphia flashed him a watery smile as she let go of him, "Yes, we will…" With that said, the princes watched as their mother, father, and sister mounted their horses and started to ride off in the direction of the Bifrost.

Loki placed a hand on Thor's shoulder in order to try and calm his older brother down. He could see the frustration radiating off of him due to their sister leaving. "She will be fine, Thor."

Thor huffed and turned to his brother with a hard stare before looking off in the direction that the rest of their family had gone, "she will." They could only continue to watch as the three royal family members continued to ride their horses further away before disappearing from their sight.

---

Three horses galloped quickly across the rainbow bridge as the sun began to set in the distance. Delphia, Odin, and Frigga all rode their own horses towards the Bifrost in order send Delphia off to Midgard. At the entrance of the Bifrost stood the ever seeing guard of the Bifrost, Heimdall. He bowed his head when the king, queen, and princess finally came to a stop in front of him and dismounted their steeds. "Your majesty," he greeted the king accordingly.

Odin nodded his head in greeting, "I suspect you know why we are here." It wasn't so much of a question but instead a statement as he already knew Heimdall knew they were coming. Heimdall could see everyone and everything in all nine realms. If someone so much as whispered in another realm, Heimdall would know exactly what they said.

He turned his gaze to the young goddess who hugged herself around her middle. He nodded his head in confirmation as his golden eyes surveyed the family. "Yes, I do." He leads them into the Bifrost and walked up to the platform where his sword could be placed. The three royal family members watched as Heimdall placed his sword into the pedestal and twisted it. Colors burst in front of them as the Bifrost was open and ready for Delphia's departure. Said girl took a deep breath and turned to her mother and father.

"I will return at a later time, until then, I will stay in Midgard."

The older Asgardians nodded their heads in understanding. Frigga was the first to pull Delphia into a tight hug as she whispered her goodbyes to her only daughter and warned her to stay safe while she resided in Midgard. Delphia promised to look after herself and to come back safe. Odin then embraced his daughter and did the same, though he was able to mask his tears unlike his wife who had started to cry.

Delphia said her final goodbyes to her parents and nodded to Heimdall in a goodbye as well. Heimdall returned the gesture with a kind smile. Delphia had known the guard her entire life as Heimdall was practically like a third brother to her. She mustered up enough courage and turned to stare at the barrage of colors that flew in front of her. Without any second thoughts, Delphia walked through the portal and allowed the Bifrost to whisk her away and towards Midgard.

---

Delphia landed with a thud on the snowy ground that chilled her to the bone. She cursed herself for not wearing something warmer as she was still dressed in a thin light blue gown with short sleeves. Though she had no idea where she would have landed on Midgard, so she couldn't have known that she would have needed to change clothing. Heimdall could have at least told where in Midgard she was going!

Cold wind whipped her brown hair back and forth as icy flakes invaded her personal space. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to warm herself up. She surveyed her surroundings and squinted against the wind. She could barely see two inches in front of her due to the snow and darkness that surrounded her. If she didn't find some sort of shelter soon…

She could hear the sound of snow crunching under weight and an unusual humming that Delphia couldn't quite place. Blinding lights emerged from out of the thick clouds of snow which caused Delphia to shield her eyes.

Before the machine could hit the poor, clueless woman, it came to a stop only a few feet from her. Delphia strained her eyes to see the doors of the machine open as someone climbed out of the metal contraption. She had never seen anything like it before, however, it did resemble something that she had seen in the books about Midgard. She recalled them to be called 'cars'. She knew they were a piece of technology that Midgardians had created some time ago, as Delphia had always been fascinated by what Midgardians could really create.

The man who exited the car slowly crept through the snowy scenery and walked towards the woman who tried to keep herself warm. "Hallo?" A heavily accented voice asked as he approached Delphia. She barely had enough time to register who had approached her when she froze on her spot. She didn't freeze due to the cold but instead from the glimpse of who was approaching her. As soon as she saw the narrow face of the man, she couldn't stop her eyes from glazing over as she collapsed to the ground. Before she could hit the ground, the man had quickly rushed to catch her.

He watched as the woman in his arms convulsed and whimpered under her breath. He studied her closely. She did not wear the proper attire for the frigid weather at all. She also was not speaking German, but instead English. To him, it was obvious that the mysterious woman was not from the area. Although as soon as he heard one specific word from her, his eyes widened. "Tesseract," she muttered. He made quick work of gathering the woman in his arms and placing her into his car. This mysterious woman who seemingly appeared in the middle of the road out of thin air knew something of the Tesseract, an object that he had been searching for for a long time. Perhaps she knew about it...

He climbed into the driver's seat of the car and gazed at the young woman who had finally stopped her spasm but was still unconscious. Johann Schmidt smirked as he started the car up once again and started to drive towards his destination.

He could tell that whoever this woman was that she was going to be very valuable to his search of the Tesseract.