“What does the distress message say?” Hel was the first to ask, not really knowing the full context of the word ‘beacon’, herself only thinking of the massive towers of Asgard.

“Well, it’s very simple and quite distressing,” Herakles replied. “It just says ‘help me’, a reverberating echo through Yggdrasil, and we only know because the tenders of the House of Ygg have told us. I think that’s probably where we should head to get more information. However, father, you should come with us. I need some help hauling some gear.”

“Good. I’ve had my fill of cold metal to last me a century,” Hephaestus was quick to point out.

Hel was not formally invited but she heard no complaints when the four of them (including Fredja, who didn’t have an opinion on the matter and was silent) wandered into a different lab, located on a side wing that took a few minutes to walk to. During the walk, Heralkes gave the group a rundown of the gear he mentioned.

“Due to the alarming amount of chaos involved with this, I am taking a machine that might be able to extract it. As with many things of this nature, it is untested and I have no confidence it will do much for us.”

A mechanical door opened for them after a passcode was entered, and beyond was a greyer, duller room full of machines locked behind grates. Hel was the only one looking around with some form of confusion on her face, while the rest had walked this road before. Fredja nor Hephaestus asked any questions, both of them heading to some lockers and retrieving armor and weapons.

Fredja put on something that looked like leather, at least in coloration. It was a combination of leather and plate, with some technological highlights that Hel of course did not recognize. This included two metal gauntlets that had some tubing connecting between them and a device she slung over her shoulder. After that, Fredja retrieved two massive axes and made a point to give Hel a wink and called out, “Hey, check this out.” Hel wandered over, to which Fredja demonstrated by wielding one of them and clicked in a button and saw the blade begin to spin sharply.

“Impressive, I imagine that can cut through most things. Or people?”

“Well, the second one could get really messy. My attacks usually aren’t reserved for people, more the monster side of things. Also very messy,” Fredja licked her lips and erupted into laughter, no doubt to the response of memories past and unspoken.

Hephaestus did something similar. Also armored himself up, a large and stocky man certainly needed his own custom fitting for the armor he wore. Being a deity, he was likely harder than the usual mortals and as a result he mostly only armored up his hands, feet, groin and back while mostly leaving his muscular arms exposed. Of extreme note, he wielded a massive hammer that almost seemed as large as he was. It was not like a hammer wielded by anyone she had ever known. It had the gorgeous steel sheen of Mjölnir, but it had some sort of pocket on one side of the hammerhead.

Hel could not help but inquire, “What’s that for?”

Hephaestus was happy to explain, “Ah, gives this fucker an extra boost to the swing. I’d love to demonstrate, but I’d rather not fuck up the ship while we’re still in the dead of space.”

Still, he demonstrated by clicking a small lever (not quite a button as with Fredja’s axes), and let it spin around without him barely putting forth a swing himself. He even almost lost control of it, letting out a playful, “Whoa, down girl!” laughing wildly as he brought the swinging hammer back in control.

Herakles interrupted their demonstrations, “Speaking of fucking up our ship, father. Fredja, Hel, please come here, I need to explain some things.”

They all did as requested, Hephaestus did not resist a jibe at his son. “Explaining, explaining. It’s all the boy does.”

Herakles rolled his eyes as they all attended him. While they were arming, he had retrieved some bits of technology that were locked away. He hefted them upon a table, and gave an explanation.

The first was something that looked a bit like a drinking horn, but four feet long and less than two feet wide. The horn itself was lined with runes that were not translating for her. Attached was a box device, like many she had seen in her short time with this group. Like a computer’s tower, but all connected. Flanking it was another computer tower looking device, but open in design. Finally, there were two large canisters with several other runes or language adorning them. They were hexagonal and large, and of note is that they were not giving off any independent light like the other devices were. In other words, they were not being powered in their own right.

“Alright, now listen close because there is a job for all of you. Hel, I want you to carry the suction device as it may be the easiest to handle depending on what we run into. It is designed to absorb and contain an incredible amount of energy, and I programmed it to recognize chaotic energies specifically. The two canisters are power cells, which my father and Fredja will carry. They are to contain what the suction takes in. They used to have chords but once I infused the design with magic, they became unnecessary.”

“I cannot stress to you all enough how dangerous this is. Chaos is a volatile substance, something that none of us really run into much because of its rarity. For good reason. Whatever we are walking into, it will be dangerous. Remember, this is basically the nuclear radiation of magic.”

Hel stepped forward to retrieve her device and affix it upon her person. She also had to ask, “I don’t know what radiation is.”

“I could explain, depending on how much time you’ve spent on earthen realms?” Herakles answered.

“Very little.”

“Then we don’t really have time to give you a crash course. It’s all very technical, but at its very base, it’s incredibly deadly and not user friendly. Most who attempt to use it, die horribly.”

The rest of the three look at each other, giving a universal look of ‘what the hell are we doing then’. Either way, the die was cast. Their mission was set, and they set a course to the House of Ygg.

The House of Ygg is a bit of a misnomer, as there is not technically a ‘house’ in the classic sense, nor is it any sort of noble designation. It was named for a sort of Nexus within the widely varied branches of Yggdrasil that connects the nine realms and beyond. There is no number for how many realms there are, as timelines are infinite. Various races of aliens, deities or of earthen birth have found their way into this nexus and carved out a halfway point between various realms. A massive tree itself is visible, but a shell of Yggdrasil itself, and each of its overarching branches hold a doorway into a realm beyond. The nexus itself can be made to connect or deny entry at a variety of immortal’s behest, as many gods make their homes within. In more modern terms, it has a bit of an airport or hotel vibe going with it. Nobody technically stays there, but it’s been a host of meetings between a variety of pantheons. Wars between gods and armageddon have ended within its open halls.

Hel knew of it but never had a purpose to visit it properly, as Asgard had its own portal magic and doorways to other realms. The first thing she was shocked by was how absolutely bright it was. Gold was the dominating color, the tree itself as well as all its branches were shining with gold. No sky was seen, just an endless mass of carved branches for roads were seen, everywhere she looked. The darkly armored Hel herself may have stood out if it weren’t for every other wandering denizen each having their own unique look.

Gods and immortals by the dozens littered the branched streets, some of which she recognized. However they had a bit of alarm to their step, each of them hustling to get to their location. There were some panicked cries of alarm as many of them shuffled into portals, and immediately the branches would close around it and block entry. It reminded her of a town being raided, but this was a different sort. There was no direct attack happening, but as they weaved around the branches they came across a major crowd, centered around an area that seemed to have been nestled away from others.

It was a gorgeous door not unlike the doors she had seen at the end of the Bifröst, but still much smaller. It was engulfed in a pulsating orange energy, with a creeping scar that continually pierced the branches and was moving across the realm. It was only taking up several feet in surrounding, but the crowd was still highly alarmed at this dangerous energy that began piercing their realms. Hel even recognized a few of them, but was not in a position to greet them. Anubis himself was perched on a branch overlooking them all, still holding his grand golden staff with a look of concern upon his face. They exchanged nods, but Hel stood to her mission.

While the foursome was politely pushing through the crowd, Hephaestus asked, “Is that what you call rot, my boy?”

“Given enough time and it could destroy entire realms,” Herakles was very quick to point out.

As they approached the door, the crowd hushed slightly but there was still chattering of what they were doing. An attendant approached them, “Hello, hello! What is- what are you all doing?”

He was a twitchy man adorned in ancient clothing, holding a book in hand which never seemed to close. He was youthful in appearance but it was slightly offset by his facial hair that seemed to be all connected, including his eyebrows. His mustache and beard were long but skinny and well tend to, but still a darker grey. Hel found it very odd, but still hardly the strangest entity she had seen in the short jaunt through the House of Ygg.

Herakles took point, “We’re here to help. We’re going to test a device that should absorb this kind of energy. Hel, if you would…” He motioned towards the ground, which she set down as he instructed. Fredja and Hephaestus followed suit, placing the two large power cells next to it. Herakles pulled out his laptop, connecting to the device and began tapping away. Hel tried to peer over his shoulder but she didn’t understand a single thing she saw. The language was being translated in her mind but the words never made any sense.

The squirrely immortal was trying to pry them away, “Nobody has been able to get through, no no! Not at all! The door burns at all touch! This is a fool’s errand, we must evacuate!”

Hel narrowed her eyes, “Tall words for the dozens standing and watching.”

Hephaestus joked out, “Nobody can resist watching a train crash, girl.”

Eventually the over-large cornucopia device began to shake and shine brightly, which certainly shut the crowd up. The power cells shook violently alongside them, and Herakles stood back up and did a little jog away, which gave the crowd enough evidence to properly move. They all took another hundred feet or so, Hel’s new crew included.

The cornucopia seemed to do its job, sucking in an orange mist and the cracked energy in the branches began to fade. It was eerily silent except the metallic devices clanking against each other. The power cells began to glow as well, and after several minutes the door seemed to be completely cured of all traces of the chaos that consumed it.

Herakles, wide eyed and adjusted his glasses. A grin pierced his face, likely the first time he had shown any overt emotion since Hel had known him. He waited to see if the energy came back out, and when it didn’t he rushed over to the devices to give them a once-over. He cried out, “It worked!” The crowd offered a cheer and applause in response, and he ushered his team over.

“We’re not done yet, though. We must descend into the realm and find the source.” The whole team agreed, resolved to see the problem through.

The door wouldn’t budge for them, which was a good job for the massive creature that is Hephaestus. He used the hilt of his hammer for leverage, and even acquired some assistance from some of the greater beings in the crowd as they all worked to heft the door open. A bustling, green and smoky energy cracked from the door, and a portal formed as the door was opened proper.

Herakles turned to the attendant, “As much as I hate to say this, but this door should probably be closed when we four enter.”

Fredja, Hel, and his father all in unison; “What?!”

“Yes, yes! Good idea!” The attendant said.

Herakles was quick to correct them, “If we fail, then this problem becomes much greater, and Yggdrasil itself is at stake if nobody else can figure out how to fix the problem. I’ve already sent some dossiers to others just in case, as well as some schematics.”

“Ever the thinker, my boy. We should get on with this, then,” Hephaestus was the first to enter the portal, and the rest followed suit.

Thus, they entered The Matriarch’s realm. It was a foreign sight to most, but it became sickly. The skies were red and orange, looking like a town had just been burned down in a raid. There was no telling how much time passed at all, just that it was enough for the chaos to have continually erupted from The Matriarch’s scarred and broken body to poison her entire realm. Energy pulsed from her body, still laying still in the original grassy field that she once created as her consciousness came awake. As a result, she was not difficult for the team to track down.

The obstacle was in the chaos itself, as it snapped at the team and burned to the touch. Herakles was sure to warn them that all exposure to direct points of energy and magic were to be kept minimal. As per his earlier comparison of radiation, small amounts of it are survivable but continuous contact will be deadly, even to gods such as them.

Indeed, the fact The Matriarch held on as long as she did (however long it was), would later become an impressive feat. Still, the team approached her and were quick to deploy their devices as they did with the door.

Herakles looked concerned, “...She is the source. That might complicate this.”

Hel looked upon the mage in the dead field, and felt an incredible sense of sorrow. She looked so pretty, but in absolute pain and undeniable horror. As the team set things up, she leaned over to cup her head to make herself an improvised pillow. Any small comfort she could give. The being known as The Matriarch did not speak, and it was unclear if she could at all given her state.

Hel tried to comfort further, “It’s okay, Herakles has something that might help. It should absorb all of this…”

Herakles chimed in, “This is more serious than I thought, I’m not sure if…”

Hel shot him a glare, as if to force some bedside manner at him. He recognized the look and adjusted his comment accordingly, “Well, the door was nothing. Barely a blip on the cell’s meter… So it might be able to absorb all of this.”

“It’s okay, Matriarch. We are here. Now’s the time, Herakles.”

As they fired up the device, they wanted to flee further out, and locate the door to the House of Ygg once more. They tried to get Hel to come but she felt strangely allured to help this broken mage. She elected to stay with this woman’s broken body, and held her tenderly. The Matriarch’s fully orange, chaos-filled eyes let forth some tears as her breathing were intense and shallow.

Hel hadn’t even met the woman properly but she silently vowed to get to the bottom of the cause and destroy this corruption. First thing’s first, Hel remained in place as the device clicked on and the orange energy that filled the entire area started to funnel within it, the cells taking in the energy as storage.

The team fled into the House of Ygg as it activated, leaving Hel behind.

They closed the doors just as before, and hours passed. A very nervous crowd of immortals remained, listening to the team retell their brief venture into The Matriarch’s realm. Very few of them knew who she was at all, and the attendant informed them that the door had always remained closed. Not a single being ever emerged from it, until two finally did. After some hours, the door cracked open. Through the portal, came Hel with the shattered body of The Matriarch cradled in both of her arms. She had survived the extraction, but was unconscious and possibly in a coma. “I will take her to Asgard, and see what my people’s healers might do for her. But Herakles, you should probably look at your device. It’s shaking and… glowing.”

The trio rushed back in as Hel diverged from the party and did as she promised, escorting The Matriarch’s comatose body into Asgard.