Don finished bandaging up my comparatively light wounds, which he did in jerky, angry movements. “That was really, really stupid.”

“I know!” I shouted. “You think I don't!? I got it from Thor, Doc, I don't need it from you too!”

“Lately you've been doing nothing but totally stupid and erratic actions that are gonna get you killed!”

This suddenly bad mood that had sprung on both of us made us both even more stubborn than usual.

“I'm not gonna do something that's gonna get me killed. I just. . . I don't know what else to do.”

Don stood up and limped across the room to grab Mjolnir. “I wasn't supposed to exist, Anthy.”

I looked up at him as he sat down and looked at me earnestly. His anger had dissipated, but I knew this look – it was his teaching face. He had something to say.

“Did you know? I was non-existent, a face in the void. But Odin put Thor in my place, to teach him humility. He kept my name, and used my persona, my body, to live a human life among the people he helped save. But. . . over time. . . I started to. . . to think again. I was like a baby, bit by bit learning about the world around Thor by watching his thoughts. I knew that I wasn't. . . real. I knew I was a parasite in this great man's body.”

I listened.

“My first sentient thought,” he continued, holding Mjolnir in it's cane form. “My first sentient thought was looking at a picture of Jane Foster, can you believe that?”

“What was it?” I asked.

“I thought 'pretty'. I mean, I could think in more complex terms, see and envision the world, I could exist, but not contemplate again, not yet. But it was Jane that gave me my first words. Anyways there's a point to this.

“I'm saying that it wasn't long ago, and I pretty much still am, trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted. And that's where you are now. You aren't sure what you want or even who you are.

Every bit of me wanted to protest, to say I knew who I was. To say that I knew what I wanted. But I didn't.

“Do you think I don't really love him?” I asked. “That I'm making it up? Or that he's too old or I'm too young? Do you think it's wrong?”

Don sat beside me on the couch, looking out the windows of Agea's penthouse, a gift from her aunt. It had the same panoramic views as Avengers Tower. Only here, Don was looking over the sun setting on the water.

“Love is never wrong. It's just. . . odd. I don't think what you're feeling is wrong. I don't think that what Balder feels for you is wrong. I don't think that it's wrong that he's older than you, I mean, y'know after the first few dozen ages of man your options are kind of limited, and I'm not exactly the guy to ask what's weird or right or not.

“I think that you're doubting it. I think you're giving yourself reasons to be psyched out by it. And that's what makes this. . . complicated. You're letting what should be get in the way of what's already there.”

I looked up as Ares walked in and opened the fridge. “Agea! Is there a beer in here!?” he called.

“I'm 17!”

“SO!?”

“Go buy your own friggin' beer!”

We listened as Ares grumbled something about 'that filthy (expletive) half-blood (expletive) and his filthy (expletive) wine (expletive), (expletive) didn't teach that girl to drink (expletive), just like her mother. . .”

He stalked off, and I looked at Don. “Thor should take him for a drink before he expletives Agea to death.”

“He'll be fine. He wouldn't hurt her. Well, he would, but only in a fight.”

“I can't believe he's my support system.”

Don shook his head. “Neither can I.”

Olympus Group HQ was a huge skyscraper with white marble columns in front of the door, stairs leading down to the sidewalk. Classically influenced statues in gold gleamed in the weak sun from the cloudy sky, and leaves danced around the bottom, almost seeming to avoid the steps.

Agea stayed by my side as Ares trudged up the steps, one heavy boot after the other, in silence.

“So. . . you said this place was run by that kid Amadeus Cho?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “He owes me a huge favor. Like, biggest favor ever huge.”

“What did you do for him?”

“How do you think he's still the seventh smartest person on Earth?”

Glancing at Ares, he had a grin on his face as Agea hurried to his side. She said something in Greek that I didn't understand, causing Ares to roll his eyes and pat her head. Apparently he wasn't so good with girls.

Inside the building it was a perfect temperature, not too cold, not too warm, and the wide open lobby smelled like flowers and candy. No, I mean that literally, it smelled just like flowers and candy.

“Hebe's ambrosia.”

“The stuff that keeps the Olympians young?”

“Yeppers,” nodded Agea. “She must have made a fresh batch.”

“Good morning, Mr.-- Agea!”

“Hey Argus!”

Agea hugged the cyclops across the desk, as I stayed by Ares and tried not to stare. All sorts of people and creatures from Greek mythology were here. There were nymphs and satyrs, Olympians and gods and any monster that could be thought of.

“There,” said Ares suddenly, and he motioned with his head towards where a tall, lean young man talked on a cellphone. He smiled and laughed, and hanging on the fingers on his free hand were the famous sandals that Agea's heels were based on.

I started walking, impressing Ares as he followed. “You don't want to wait?”

“No. I'm tired of waiting. And I'm through being polite.”

Agea chuckled. “That's my girl.”

I walked right up the the man, his dark, curly hair and dangerous grin giving him a boyish look. “You Hermes?” I asked.

“Who's the cutie asking?” he responded.

“Anthy Martin.”

“Balder's girl?”

Was that what everyone was calling me behind my back? I wasn't Balder's girl. We'd kissed twice.

“No. Did you steal something from Asgard?”

“I'm thinking of stealing you.”

“Quit flirting, Hermes this is serious!” shouted Agea.

“I got this,” I said to her. Turning back to Hermes, I said, “Listen buddy!”

Grabbing his lapel, I pulled him down to his knees so that I could be taller and more intimidating. Seemed to be working. “I'm through being the cute little damsel! Did you steal the spear Gungnir and the necklace Brisingamen!?”

“No!” he cried, looking at me with wide eyes. “I didn't take them, I heard they were missing so I. . . well. . . I might have said something to the guys at Silly's. . .”

“What the hell is goin' on down here!?”

I looked over to see an Asian teenager walking over to us, followed by a girl with thick blond braids and big blue eyes. He pursed his lips as he looked over the situation. “Oh, someone's punching Hermes in the face. About time,” he said.

“Cho,” Agea regarded him.

“Hey, what's up?”

“Oh, y'know, saving Asgard.”

“Oh, cool.”

He shrugged and looked at me. “You're Balder's girl, right?”

“Oh em gee!” I shouted, dropping Hermes. “I'm not Balder's girl! We kissed! That's it!”

“Um, for Balder that totally means you're his girl,” said Cho.

“Can we move on!?” I shouted as I stepped on Hermes' coat, stopping him from running off.

“I didn't take them! You've got the wrong guy!” Hermes screamed, hoping I wouldn't break his face.

I moved my foot and kicked him lightly. “Get outta here before I change my mind about kicking your ass,” I snarled.

Hermes stumbled away, and Cho smiled. “The little Viking that could, huh?”

“I'd say she's more of a Norseling, really,” said a familiar voice.

“Vali!” growled Cho. Agea looked stunned. I must've too. The shiny golden spear was in his hand. The necklace hung around his wrist.

“You son of a--”

“Hush, my dearest Agea,” whispered Vali as he was at her side, his hand on the side of her face. Agea froze, her cheeks fiery red, her heart pounding. She was pissed – and hurt. I knew the look on her face. “You said you changed. . .”

“I have. Just not in the way you desired it.”

Whoa, what just happened!? What secrets has Agea been hiding about Vali? What's he even doing!? Unless!? 

Coming down to the final chapters of Midguardian and the end of Anthy's story!