The Otherworldly Mercenary

As Loki slipped away, Odin's voice broke the silence, heavy and probing. "Seph," he said, his gaze sharp and guarded, "You've come here, challenged me, and in a few brief words reshaped what Thor and Loki believe. Now you're speaking of kingdoms and futures, of peace in realms long divided. Tell me—what is your purpose in this?"

Seph turned to Odin, his face calm but his gaze intense. "My purpose, Odin, is not as mysterious as you might think. I see potential in your sons. Thor and Loki are capable of so much more than what you've allowed them to become. I came here to do what you have not: to give them the chance to grow into the leaders they were meant to be, for the good of all Nine Realms."

Odin's eyes narrowed, a mixture of pride and wariness flashing across his face. "You speak of the Nine Realms as if their burden is yours to bear, Seph. Yet Asgard has stood guard over them since long before you set foot in this hall. Why seek to shape them now?"

"Because I see the power your sons wield," Seph replied steadily. "But I also see the flaws your teachings have left in them. Asgard has reigned, yes, but your rule has sown seeds of resentment, and not only among your enemies. Thor has your strength, but not your wisdom; Loki has your cunning, but he knows only deceit. They were raised as warriors and heirs, but never as true leaders of their people."

Odin's expression turned cold, defensive. "You dare presume to know my ways? I have ruled these realms for centuries. I have built peace and held war at bay. What would you, a visitor, know of the burdens of a king?"

Seph met his gaze, unflinching. "I know enough to see the cracks in the peace you've made, Odin. Peace is born from fear, conquest, and suppression. The Nine Realms are bound together, but it's a tenuous bond. Thor and Loki have the potential to bring a new kind of peace—a peace forged not by fear, but by respect. You sought to mold them in your image, yet they are not you. They can't be."

Odin's face softened, a glint of something almost vulnerable flashing in his eyes. "And if I have done wrong by them, what then? Is it too late for them to become the leaders you see?"

Seph let a silence stretch between them, letting the weight of the question settle. "It isn't too late, Odin,"

He said finally. "But it will be if you continue to shield them from the truths they deserve to know. Thor cannot rule as a warrior alone, and Loki cannot embrace his lineage if he feels unworthy of it. They need you to guide them—not as the All-Father, but as their father."

Odin sighed, the age-old weariness of a king slipping through his regal demeanor. "Perhaps I held them too close to Asgard's history, too close to my own failures and fears," he admitted quietly. "And now, my words have built walls between us."

Seph nodded. "But you're still their father, and they will listen if you speak honestly. Your sons crave your guidance, Odin, and perhaps more than anything, your trust."

For a long moment, Odin was silent, looking toward the doors through which Thor had stormed and Loki had slipped away. "Then I shall try, Seph. For Asgard and the Nine Realms, but most of all, for my sons." He turned back to Seph, a spark of gratitude mixed with a lingering uncertainty. "And if this works… perhaps there will be peace, after all."

Seph inclined his head. "That's the hope, Odin. True peace, something even the All-Father cannot build alone."

The two shared a look of mutual understanding.

Seph glanced over at Hela, standing slightly apart from her family, her arms crossed as she watched the conversation with an unreadable expression. Though she maintained her usual air of confidence, there was a distance in her gaze, a wariness born of centuries of resentment. She stood alone, as though she feared coming too close would somehow be unwelcome.

"Hela," Seph called gently, drawing her attention. He extended a hand, motioning her to join them. "This is a moment for all of you—not just for Thor and Loki, but for you as well."

Hela raised an eyebrow, her skepticism clear. "And why should I join them? We're strangers to each other now, aren't we?" Her voice held a touch of bitterness, and she cast a brief, guarded glance at Odin and Frigga. "What's the point of pretending?"

Seph stepped closer, his voice low but filled with compassion. "Because they are still your family, Hela. Family is flawed, yes. It makes mistakes—terrible ones. But family can also heal, if everyone's willing to try. And I know that, deep down, you've wanted that as much as they have."

Hela scoffed, though the faintest hint of vulnerability flickered in her eyes. "They locked me away, Seph. Cast me out for wanting to shape Asgard differently. How can I believe that they'd ever accept me, as I am?"

Odin, who had overheard, took a step forward, his face filled with regret and resolve. "Hela," he said softly, his voice breaking the long silence between father and daughter. "I feared you—I'll admit that. You were my firstborn, my warrior. But in my blindness, I saw only what I thought you could become… never realizing what you actually needed."

Hela's gaze remained wary, her voice tight with unspoken anger. "And what did I need, Father? What need was so dangerous that you had to cast me aside?"

Frigga joined her husband, her gaze kind and filled with sorrow. "You needed a family, Hela," she said softly, stepping toward her daughter. "And instead, we pushed you onto the battlefield, thinking it would be enough. We failed you, and I'm so, so sorry for that."

Hela's expression softened, though her shoulders remained tense. She looked between her parents, clearly wrestling with old wounds that had never healed.

Seph placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, anchoring her. "They know their mistakes, Hela. And while those wounds won't vanish overnight, you don't have to stand alone anymore. You've earned the right to be part of this family—not as a warrior or as an exile, but as a daughter, a sister."

Thor, who had been listening with a newfound sense of humility, took a tentative step forward. "Sister… I have much to learn, and I won't pretend that I understand everything you've been through. But I would like to know you—to welcome you back, as family. Not because of who Father thought you should be, but because of who you are."

A flicker of surprise crossed Hela's face as she looked at Thor, the brother she barely knew. The brother she had once seen as her replacement.

"And if you're willing," Loki added softly, "I would like to know you too. We are all shaped by our pain, but perhaps… perhaps we could begin to heal together."

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