ax_main | Thor, Clint, and Loki

Thor and Clint see a dragon about a quest.

The village near the bottom of the island had an eclectic atmosphere. A number of small theaters surrounded the park. Below this quaint shops lined the street. It was common for aspiring actors to take up residence in the rooms above these shops. Walking along the winding cobblestone path, a distant aria blended with a deep baritone voice, as two bards practiced overhead on opposing sides of the street. As the street narrowed, the scent of spices carried from the last visible shop. Inside, barrels of tea and other herbs lined the walls and filled most of the floor space, barely leaving room to weave between wares.

It was hard to believe that a dragon was hidden in such a bustling section of the village.

For some, there was nothing to see as they turned the corner. A quiet alleyway, more streets and shops ahead, and a solitary green lantern post were hardly significant. For those with True Sight, a sign for Bleecker was always visible below the lantern. Past the sign stone stairs led down and down. Without True Sight, it took specific directions or random luck to see the entrance. Once found, the stairs were always visible. The welcome that waited below was less predictable.

Today, three wooden doors were at the base of the steps. On the face of each door was a handprint charred into the wood. Above each handprint, a symbol.

A crown. A hammer. A raven.

Ullr cocked his head as he eyed the doors at the base of the steps. He shifted, resettling the bow on his back and wiped at the bruise under one eye that was slowly healing back to pink skin. Golden haired, with boyish features, he looked similar to his companion, if much less...everything. Here was a man who could step quietly through the wood without his prey becoming aware. Thor? Well...everyone tended to know when he was coming.

Take, for example, the doors. "There's a hammer," Ullr pointed out thoughtfully. "I think he must have known of our arrival."

Thor frowned down at the symbols, frustration writ large on his features. A soft breeze stirred the long, bright blond braids he wore and tugged at his clothing. The blue tunic and trousers were thick with embroidery as befitted his station, worn though they were becoming. "But also a crown. The raven though is not likely? That is more my father's symbol." The frown deepened again. Thor was not stupid, not at all, but there were worlds of difference between not stupid and clever.

"Perhaps it is a riddle about your father, then? Are you he, your station, or your skill?" Ullr suggested, rubbing at the back of his neck. He saw nothing there that represented himself, in any case. This was deliberately aimed at Thor.

Thor stomped down the impulsiveness that drove him to just charge through a door. He felt so cursed impatient of late... He scratched his beard in reflection, pondering on the symbols again. "The hammer," he said finally, decisively. I am not worthy of the others yet."

The handprint on that door glowed.

The archer nodded toward it. "Looks like that's the right decision."

"Very well then," Thor said as he moved forward. He placed a hand on the door and shoved, rather hard. The thought that there might be a trap just did not occur to him...

The door pushed open and Thor and his companion were sucked into a black void.

They fell.

At first it was pitch dark free fall. Then bright pin pricks of starlight brightened around them, blurring as they sped downward. A cheerful tune started to play. The words “Good Vibrations” were vaguely recognizable in the rush of wind and any startled cries the adventurers might be emitting.

Despite plummeting at a startling velocity their feet hit the ground with a solid thwack, but nary enough force to break bone.

They were in another stone room, circular this time. There were four doors. Each had a tapestry with a different animal hanging in front of it. Next to each door there were pedestals with metal parts lying on them, three pieces each that looked like they might assemble the animal on the tapestry.

Breathless, turning in a circle, the archer had his bow out, ready to attack whatever might come out of the shadows. The tapestries were not what he was expecting, and he stared at them, dumbfounded. "What sort of game is this?"

"I do not know," Thor said, displeasure rumbling through his voice like thunder. "Doors and puzzles and taunts!" He whirled, throwing his cloak back in a grand gesture. "Whoever lays these tricks, face me!" he roared.

Two green eyes flickered open in the air in front of him, glowing pinpoints in the space.
“Hello, hero,” a familiar voice greeted him. “You look a bit lost.”

The archer's frown deepened, and he eyed the eyes cautiously. He hadn't failed to notice that the eyes had only addressed one of them. "That voice..."

Thor's frown deepened and he scowled back at the glimmers. No one, afterall, had ever accused him of having any sense. "Show yourself!"

The door with dragon tapestry creaked suddenly open. “Then come find me. I won’t fit into such a small room.” The eyes flickered out.

"You know," Ullr pointed out, "If we go through that door, we might just find ourselves falling into another puzzle. I'd heard this dragon was a mysterious beast, but I didn't expect the taunts and trickery. I'd suggest we leave... if we knew the way out again."

"Nonsense," Thor declared. "Are we not heroes? Are we not mighty and boon companions? Come, archer, let us beard the beast and claim the prize!" Even if Thor was... a little hazy on the exact nature of the prize it did not matter, Adventure Awaited!And with nary another thought, Thor made straight for the opened door.

There were no unpleasant surprises this time. Thor stepped directly into the main room of the cave. A large fireplace blazed pleasantly. An enormous fluffy blanket lay before it. There was a table at the center of the room with a chessboard set up on one end, a large book resting on the other. The dragon tucked a bookmark in place and closed the tome.

He glanced to watch Thor approach. “Thor. What brings you here?”

"Oh for..." the archer followed his companion through the door, looking around at the room that spread out around them. He found himself frowning when his gaze landed upon the dragon. There was something entirely familiar about the beast.

Thor narrowed his eyes as he took in the creature in front of him, specifically the coloring of said creature... "Name yourself!" he demanded. It couldn't be... he'd never been something that large before...

Bright green eyes blinked down at Thor. The dragon sat up taller. "Name myself," he repeated slowly. "Is that really necessary? Has it been that long?"

Ullr glanced at his friend, frowning more deeply. "Do you know this beast?"

"Possibly," Thor rumbled. "Though I've no thought for how he has grown so large if that is so." He glowered up at the dragon again. "And shall I tell Mother that you are hiding in a cave?"

“A powerful sorceress surely can find her own children,” the dragon snarled. “You’ve come for keys to a quest, correct?”

'Mother', the archer mouthed, brows arching high as he looked over at the dragon. He cleared his throat, slowly stowing his bow on his back before giving a heroic tip of head back, golden hair whipping back in whatever passed for wind in the cave. A heroic stance.

"Yes. That's right," the archer replied. "Tell him, Thor! Our grand quest!" What was the quest again? Surely Thor remembered.

Thor frowned for a moment, why were they here again... that was unlike him. "A quest, brother!" Thor said, pushing the odd doubts aside. "A quest from the most clever of beings!"

"Yes, that." Loki snatched up a scroll up with his tail and then tossed it down in front of them. It unrolled to display a map. "There's the adventure you were seeking." He eyed Thor's companion thoughtfully. "When you get there... I believe you'll find everything you've been looking for."

Clint - no, Ullr paced toward the map, but frowned up at the dragon, not understanding. “Me?”

Thor had moved over to the map, examining it intently as though it were the most fascinating object in the entire world. To be fair, for him it might be. "Treacherous terrain, brother," he mused absently in the same tone he'd have used for 'water is wet'. Despite past experience, that it might have been more twisty than necessary didn't even cross his mind.

“For you? Hardly.” Loki huffed. “Have a beautiful bonding trip boys. Pack some snacks. Contemplate your life choices. Find the secrets at the end of the universe.”