The Otherworldly Mercenary

Hela could not believe her eyes as she watched how her proud father was left speechless by Seph's sharp questions. For the first time in the past thousand years, she felt her heart skipping a beat, watching someone actually standing up for her and questioning her father.

She silently glanced at Seph who was sitting comfortably opposite to Odin and Frigga, her eyes shimmering with complicated emotions.

Hela could not help but return back to a few minutes prior before the two of them arrived in front of Odin.

Seph took Hela to the throne room of the Asgardian Castle. He first knocked out all the guards silently without harming them.

~~A Few Minutes Prior~~

Golden pillars stretched high above, casting long shadows across the empty hall as Seph walked beside Hela. Asgard's grandeur was impressive, though to Seph, it seemed to carry the weight of countless battles and ambitions more than the splendor of a true paradise.

"Why do you stare like that, Seph?" Hela asked, her voice cool but laced with curiosity. Her green eyes gleamed with a mix of defiance and pride.

"It's not Asgard's grandeur I'm watching, Hela," Seph replied, pausing in front of a vast mural depicting Odin's victorious past. "It's the blood beneath the surface. A glorious facade, really. The Asgard your father wanted everyone to see. Even his own children."

Hela gave a low chuckle, one that was almost devoid of humor. "Oh, Odin wanted glory for us all. The conquest, the rule, the legacy. And yet, when I dared to pursue that which he taught me, he deemed it unworthy and locked me away." She gestured with a hand, almost casually, but Seph could see the old pain behind her eyes.

Seph glanced at her, his gaze steady. "And do you think it was worth it?"

She hesitated, her expression momentarily softening. "In that prison, I had plenty of time to ponder it. But I wonder, Seph, why ask me? You have your own opinions of my father, don't you?"

"Oh, indeed." Seph's tone hardened as he began, a quiet intensity in his words. "Odin—the so-called All-Father. He raised you, his firstborn, in an unrelenting shadow of blood and conquest. Gave you the thirst for power, then abandoned you when you dared to claim it. Then, after sealing you away, he tried to 'raise' his sons like a king might train subjects, not children."

He turned toward her, his expression somber. "It was never truly about fatherhood for him. Thor, for instance—he taught the boy how to fight, but never when to stop. He encouraged the arrogance but never showed him the humility that any true ruler needs."

Hela tilted her head, intrigued. "And what about the second son... Loki? Surely the trickster had his fair share of blame?"

"Loki…" Seph sighed. "Your brother's heart was as twisted as the shadows Odin cast over him. He saw how Thor was glorified for his strength and, feeling less worthy, grew cunning and ruthless—seeking approval through fear, power, and deception. Odin never saw his children, not truly. He molded them into soldiers or symbols rather than nurturing the people they were meant to be."

A flicker of something crossed Hela's face, and she smiled, though it was bitter. "So you judge Odin's parenting methods?"

"Not just judge them... I condemn them." Seph's voice was cold, unwavering. "Your father wasn't a father. He was a ruler trying to ensure his legacy. And what he failed to realize is that true legacies aren't forged in the blood of war or the glories of conquest. They're built by the people who carry them forward. He didn't see the damage he was doing to all of you."

There was a pause as Hela's fierce demeanor softened, her eyes lost in thought. "You seem certain. But Odin would never listen to words like these."

"That's because he's grown deaf to them," Seph replied. "No one has ever dared to challenge him, not really. He's seen himself as infallible. But strength and power mean nothing if those who wield them can't see the people they're meant to protect."

Hela turned away, her expression contemplative. "And what about me, Seph?"

She murmured. "You said Odin warped Thor's pride, twisted Loki's need for approval. But what did he do to me?"

Seph's gaze softened. "You were his image, Hela. The first and truest vision of the warrior king he aspired to be. He wanted to see himself in you, and in doing so, he never saw you. He buried the child he raised in the illusion of his own ambition. When you tried to be yourself—tried to rule as you believed in your heart—you became his enemy."

Hela clenched her fists, her voice thick with a mixture of anger and sadness. "Then why have I been denied what is rightfully mine?"

"Because Odin couldn't let go of his own illusions. But remember this, Hela: the only thing stronger than power is understanding. Seek to understand what it is you wish to rule, not simply to possess it. That will make you the ruler he never could be."

She was silent, absorbing his words, her hardened expression softening. "Perhaps you should be the one on this throne, Seph."

Seph gave a faint smile. "Nah, that's not my place. I am not the person who likes to rule. I want to stay among the people I care for and love. I want to be always there for them. I have found my path in those millions of years. And perhaps, one day, you'll find that path, too."

Hela was amused by Seph's reply and could not help but chuckle but the next second, she seriously contemplated over his words, wondering if her initial path was right or not...

"Hela, Hela..."

"Y-Yeah?" 

Her thoughts were broken by Seph's voice who was calling out to her. She shook her head and asked.

"What happened?"

"Nothing much. I just want to ask you something but... forget it." Seph smiled and shook his head.

Hela was puzzled and wanted to ask but before she could, the gate of the room was pushed open and a figure entered inside.

Looking closely, they realized it was Thor!

The heavy doors of the room creaked open, and Thor stepped inside, only to freeze at the sight before him.

There, standing opposite his parents, were two figures unfamiliar to him: a tall man with an air of calm authority and a dark-haired woman with a fierce, almost predatory aura. It took him only a moment to note the tension in the air and the way Odin and Frigga sat silent, pensive as if subdued by words unspoken.

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