"Where are we?" Loki asked. This was not Valhalla, nor was it any other placed recorded in Asgard's lore.

"We are dead, yes?" Thor asked.

"Judging by your appearance I'd say yes." Loki said.

"You're one to talk." Thor said. They both looked like charred corpses. They looked up and around at the ice city. Before them lay a palace that look very much like home. They walked towards it, and began to notice people the further in they went. Ghosts, spirits, and other poor souls all reflecting the manner of their deaths were watching them with mild curiosity. They reached the gates where there were guards standing watch.

"Hello! Could you tell us, where we are?" Loki asked.

"You are in the Kingdom of Helheim, city of the dead. All new arrivals must stand before Queen Hela for judgement. Enter."

"Queen Hela?" Thor asked.

"Oh Thor. Our daughter. She made this place." They walked into the palace, marveling at all the detail. Everything looked so pristine and new.

"I wonder, was all of this here before she died?" Thor asked.

"We'll have to ask her." Loki said. They walked the long corridor and as they reached the end they were able to make out the shape of their daughter sitting on her throne. They ran to her.

"Hela!" Loki cried out. But Hela did not recognize him. His voice was muddled by smoke and his body was unrecognizable. She treated him like a stranger.

"I am Queen, and you will kneel. Both of you. Now is the moment of your judgement. I pray you both lived good lives. Those I find wanting are given to my demon." She said, stroking the head of her pet. She'd named him Fenrir. Thor and Loki kneeled before her, worried. She looked just as she had when she died, half burnt and half blue. But there was a power to her now that she'd never before possessed when she was alive, and her one red eye glowed as she gazed at them.

"Daddy." Hela whispered as her father's entire life story opened up before her. All of his secrets were presented to her, and the one she did not expect shook her soul.

"Mother? Sleipnir! Oh. Why didn't you ever tell me? Papa. I knew there was a reason you were always my favorite, uncle." She said turning her eye to Thor. The memories went on, and she watched them all until the moment of her death, and then theirs. She'd never known her grandfather to be such a terrorist when she was alive. His politics and prejudices didn't just hurt the people of Asgard or the dead. He'd hurt his own family.

"No. He cannot win."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Sigyn wailed. Loki's death had been far more horrific than she'd ever dare imagine. She passed out on the balcony. Vali came and deposited Valeria on her parent's bed. He found Sigyn and picked her up as well, placing her beside his wife. He left them to recover together, as he sought out his mother. He found her in Hogun's arms, crying on the bed. Valeria had been right about that too.

"Get out." Vali said.

"Son…"

"He is not a member of this family. You and I need to talk." Vali said.

"You want to kill Odin."

"Yep."

"You can't. He's too powerful, and it's too late."

"Don't care."

"Your father is gone. If you try to kill Odin now, you'll only be hurting yourself. You're his only heir, and all of these recent events have taken a toll on him. The Odinsleep is not far off. If he doesn't die outright, we can kill him then. Do not act rashly and take unnecessary risks."

"I have nothing to lose." He said.

"You have everything to lose, you idiot! Honestly son, have you learned nothing?"

"I learned there are things that are worse than dying, like standing by and doing nothing while my family burns alive."

"Do you want me to watch you burn as well?" Sif asked. "Have I not suffered enough?" She asked. Vali looked at Hogun.

"Look, I get why my mom's been cheating on my dad with you. But right now could you just go away. When you two get together, I don't want to know about it."

"We've always been discreet."

"Not discreet enough."

"What?" Sif asked. The conversation was disrupted then by a loud sound outside their chambers. The soldiers were screaming. Outside, there was chaos. They ran to the balcony to look outside. A white mist was flowing out from the royal garden into the square. They'd been invaded, but by what they could not tell. The army of the enemy was shrouded by the fog and hard to see.

"To the armory. We're under attack." Sif said. They used the secret escape paths meant for use by the royal family. Dark and narrow, it would have been difficult to navigate had they not familiarized themselves with the hallway over the years.

"I have to get to Sigyn and Valeria." Vali said. Sif handed him her sword.

"Good luck my son. Protect them well." She said and they split off. Vali made his way to his wife's chambers and found them still asleep in bed. They were too spent to be stirred by anything. Not even Ragnorak itself. He shoved furniture in the way, blocking the door as much as he could. Then he stood there, with his sword raised, ready to fight whatever might dare to break through.

The flowers in the garden where being watered with the blood of the dying. An army of the dead was spewing out of the crevice in the ground, with Hela leading the charge.

"Asgard. I'd forgotten how it looked." Baldur said.

"We must hurry. I cannot sustain this for long." Hela said. With each Einherjar that died, another soldier was added to her army. Her men could kill them, but the living could inflict no injury to the dead. It was all too easy.

The sound of a horse trotting turned their heads and Hela saw Sleipnir running towards her.

"Brother! Come, we'll ride into battle together to defeat grandfather." She mounted him and kicked her heels, ushering him to take off into the palace. She went to the throne room where she knew he'd be.

He was already surrounded by her men. Odin was flinging spells at them with one hand while swinging his sword with the other. It was no use. His spells only worked on the living. They were closing in, closer and closer as he fought to keep each one at bay. The King was panting and covered in sweat. He looked so old. He saw her then, and all his movements stilled. The shock in his eye said it all.

"Hela." Odin's sword slipped from his hand as he looked upon the Queen of the Dead. Hela dismounted and her men parted for her.

"Hello grandfather."

"Hela, my dear girl, how is it you are here?"

"With the power of rage and the need for vengeance." Hela said.

"Are Thor and Loki with you?" Odin asked.

"They'll be along shortly." She said. She made a move to punch him in the chest, only her hand didn't stop at the breast plate. Her hand went inside of him and it grabbed his heart and squeezed.

"I used to think you to be benevolent and kind. But you're only like that with your favorites. Enjoy Valhalla grandfather. None of the rest of the family will be visiting you." Hela said. From over her shoulder Baldur came, and Odin saw his boy.

"Baldur, my boy." He croaked out as his hands gripped Hela's forearm.

"Goodbye father. You'll not see me again." Baldur said.

"Forgive me, but I need to borrow this." Hela said. She closed her fist around Odin's heart and the Odin Force gathered in her palm. She ripped it from his body and the Allfather fell down dead.

"Quickly, where are their ashes?" Hela asked everyone.

"This way my Queen!" One of her men said. They hurried to the square where the smoke was still spiraling up from the woodpile. The wind picked up. Hela opened up her bloodied hand and the bright light of the Odin force floated like a sparkling diamond before her.

"Alright. Here we go." She said. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, splitting the Odin force in two. The ashes of the pyre gathered in the wind. A column of formed in front of Thor's stake, moving and shifting until it took on the shape of a person. On Loki's stake, the charcoal remains moved and twitched as pieces on the ground floated back up into place.

"Come back." She said. The two pieces of Odin force zoomed out of her hand into each form. Lightning cracked and the rain came. In the dark orchard two souls flew out of The Gap and into the resurrected princes. On the balcony, Vali stood watching the scene unfold.

"Sigyn, Valeria! Wake up! Wake up!"

In the weapons vault, Mjolnir took to flight. It smashed through several doors and smashed through a glass window before reaching the hand of her prince. Lightning struck again, this time hitting the posts. Loki's charcoal form transformed into luminescence. The princes of Asgard were reborn.

Hela felt her power fading. She'd used everything she had to right the wrong, and could not stay. Thor and Loki watched as ghost after ghost faded away until Hela was all that remained.

"Wait! Wait!" Sigyn cried out. She ran to Hela, but she wasn't fast enough.

"I love you Mama." Her voice echoed in the air, and she was gone.

"No! It's not fair!" Sigyn cried.

"Sigyn." Loki said. Her face went to his and relief flooded her. She flew into his arms, hugging and kissing him. He held her and stroked her hair. She'd endured so much already. Valeria and Vali came.

"Daddy?" Valeria looked at her parents, holding one another, and she so much wanted to be included.

"Oh sweetheart. Daddy is so sorry. I was wrong. I jumped to conclusions that weren't true. I know it wasn't your fault." Loki said. Valeria flew into her father's arms, and the little family felt joy for the first time in months.

Vali went to Thor, biting his lip to hold back the tears. He crashed into Thor's chest weeping, feeling like he did when he was small.

"It is alright son. It's alright now." Thor said, comforting him. From all directions, the people of Asgard came. Servants and soldiers that survived the onslaught bore witness to the events of this night. Sif and Hogun found their way to the square and joined the celebration of the return of Thor and Loki.

Epilogue

Jewels and trinkets clanged on the dresser top as Thor divested himself of his ceremonial armor. It had been two weeks since The Great Resurrection, as the people had come to call it. Thor and Loki had been crowned this day, following their wedding ceremony.

Their marriages to Sif and Sigyn had ended at the moment of their deaths. The magical marriage contracts binding them were gone. Thor publicly gave Sif and Hogun his blessing, while Loki told Sigyn she was free to remarry. Sigyn was in no hurry. She still called Loki husband.

Valeria was getting counseling for the trauma she'd endured. To everyone's surprise they found Vali to be quite devoted to her, and ever kind. Their shared experiences had brought them closer, and to Loki's relief, he saw love building between them.

Loki pulled at the laces of his garb, stripping away the finery that denoted his new rank as co-ruler.

"Did you hear, that the people think we are immortals now?" Loki asked Thor.

"Really?"

"They all seem to think that we cannot be killed twice."

"Good, let them think that." Thor said. There was a new power dynamic in Asgard, and new social norms. Being cruel to ergi men wasn't just no longer tolerated, it was a practice that was outright feared. Everyone feared Hela's judgement in the afterlife.

"I think we should send the girls on holiday. It would be good for them. Mother has been very sad lately, and Sigyn and Valeria could use some time away from the palace too."

"What about Sif?" Thor asked.

"Nay. She and Hogun are too busy with one another." Loki said with a smile. He climbed into bed, looking down right naughty.

"What shall we do while the family is away?" Thor asked.

"Well, for starters, I think my heat is starting. I thought it was just wedding nerves this morning. But I've been sweating profusely all day, and now I've got that feeling inside that I get when it comes around." Loki said.

"I can't remember if you and I have ever made love in an actual bed before." Thor said.

"Of course we have! Our very first time, when we were young." Loki said.

"And it's been stolen kisses and romps in the forest ever since. I'm going to break the bedframe." Thor said.

"By the Norns I hope so." Loki said. Thor climbed into bed with him. They kissed languidly at first, delighting in holding one another without fear of interruption or discovery.

"I want to look at you." Thor said. He tossed away the covers to gaze at Loki's fully nude form. It was a treasure and treat so rare. Loki looked Thor over as well, never before having the time to memorize all the little dips and valleys of his body. Their fingertips raked over one another as they committed to memory all the little imperfections they could never before appreciate.

Over the years their quick little interludes had always involved Loki bending over to allow Thor easy access, while his pants were still partially on.

"I want to lay on my back while you make love to me. I want to see your eyes for once." Loki said.

"Yes." Thor growled. Thor moved around and grabbed Loki's knees to splay him wide. He lingered there for a moment, just admiring the view.

"I can't wait to stick my tongue in your ass."

"What's stopping you?" Loki asked. Thor pressed Loki's thighs all the way back to angle Loki's butt up off the bed. He dived in, licking, savoring, fingering at his lover's hole. Loki keened, arching and moaning as Thor ate him out.

"Mmm, you're so loose and wet." Thor said. His tongue teased upward, lapping at Loki's balls. He sucked one into his mouth, rolling it around on his tongue. Loki's heavy essence and flavor filled his nostrils and he relished it. He moved up Loki's shaft next and took the weeping tip into his mouth.

"Mmm. Thor." Loki muttered as he lost himself to sensation. He felt the slow sweet build as Thor teased and pulled away, teased and sped up. Loki didn't fight his orgasm this time. No worries about getting caught or cleaning up a mess, or having jizz sticking to the inside of his pants. He felt utterly relaxed when his balls drew up and his cock spasm the pulsating jets of come into Thor's throat.

"Such a tasty dick." Thor said after wiping his mouth clean. He slinked up Loki's body, settling between his legs. Thor's cock felt even larger than usual, perhaps because of the change in position. It was marvelous, the way he took his time. The drag of his cock was slow and exploratory, as though they'd never done this before.

"Thor! More! More please!" Loki begged, bucking his hips to meet Thor's movements.

"Mmm, I love this angle." Thor said, give tiny thrusts so that the tip his cock struck against the nub of Loki's prostate just so. Loki was breaking apart beneath him making a gorgeous orgasm face.

"Open your eyes baby." Thor said. "Look into mine." They moaned breathing heavy and sharing air. Thor's pace picked up and his shallow thrusts went ever deeper. His hips started slapping into his and the sound was like music to them. They climbed together, reaching that sweet peak of ecstasy as lips and teeth scratched against the tender flesh of necks.

"Yes! Right there Thor! Mark me! I want everyone to see!" Loki said. Thor did, pressing his teeth into that elegant juncture. Thor lifted Loki off the bed, kneeling back on his haunches with Loki straddling his lap. Loki trembled in his arms. It felt glorious having so much skin to skin contact.

"I want to fuck on the balcony in broad daylight where people can see us." Loki said.

"Is that why you want to send the family on holiday?"

"Yes."

"Then Sif and Vali are definitely going with them. And while we're at it, we will fuck on the throne, in the garden, and in the middle of the square." Thor said.

"And in the dungeons." Loki added. That made Thor raise an eyebrow.

"What? They have see-through walls and chains and…(Loki bit his lip) I'd be at your mercy. Anyone could walk by at any second and see you pounding that massive cock into me. Pulling my hair. My hole dripping your come and gapping, eager to be stuffed again. I'd be your cock slave. Who knows what denigrating things you could talk me into down there."

"One thing at a time love. We still need to break the bedframe."

THE END