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Illyana's dorms in New York are a strange contrast to the glittering, defiant opulence of her citadel in Limbo. A single room, with two twin beds, and an adjoining room all share a common suite. It looks like she has at least two, maybe three roommates, and it's a bit on the spartan side aside from textbooks and clothing stowed in the closet.
She's hovering six inches off the bed, bare legs crossed under her and her skirt draping low, brushing the sheets. Three books hover in front of her— history, language, and economics—and she's slowly eating from a bowl of cereal while studying all three topics, apparently concurrently.
*
Without pause, introduction or warning, Amora appears in the tiny room. A look of utter disgust travels over her face as she eyes the young woman floating over the bed. "How can you stand such a hovel?" She growled, and there was a change to the Enchantress. Her presence.. was more, more than Illyana had ever felt from the woman.
Magic glowed beneath her skin, and wafted from her figure in sharp scents of ice and snow with a hint of juniper overlaced it all. Her golden hair was perfection before, but now? Now it seemed of spun gold so pure that the sun would quail in comparison. Everything about the Enchantress was simply divine as always, but somehow, some way: more.
"Come, we needs discuss. Asgard has fallen."
*
Illyana blinks once at Amora. "Find it makes me feel more human," she explains, without missing a beat. "Lorna is one of best friends. Hard to be best friend with someone, if they live in dormitory and I live in palace." She unfolds her skinny legs and floats to the ground, giving Amora a curious, wary once over.
"Da. Seems we have much to discuss." She makes a brief, mystical gesture and her skirt lengthens into a silver-blue gown, slit high for freedom of movement at the hip. Her sleeves lengthen to three-quarters, fitting her wiry arms close, and the neckline lays almost parallel with her collarbone. Much like Illyana herself— attractive and eminently practical, down to the thin laundry shoes on her feet.
"Am ready."
*
A burst of power fills the air as Amora throws up her hand, and in a flash of green light, the two are in the Asgardian 'house' as it were, on Midgard. Not far from where the dorm was, but at least it was more elegant, spacious.. oh and Amora had installed her own wards there. Her own tricks had overlaid where the Trickster God had once had his own.
A hand was held out in offer to Illyana, and therein was a tiny shard of faded looking rainbow crystal. "The Bifrost was destroyed. The keeper, the watcher, had his eyes carved from his face. He lies above, wounded.." She sighed, and moved with a sweep of green skirts that slitted above to her thighs.
"The Thunderer is missing. And the cause seems to be Loki. The former /protector/ of Midgard. Lady Sif has been injured and plans a forward attack.."
*
Illyana picks up the fragment of crystal, holding it with a careful regard for sharp edges. She sniffs it, prods it, listens to it— even licks it. "The Bifrost destroyed?" One brow lifts, then the other. "Is not— is not possible," she says. "Saw it when I went to Asgard. Wards upon wards; built like tens of thousands of spider-webs. How could— how could Loki possibly break it?"
"Thor missing. Sif injured— she is violent sort, da? Probably not good to let her lash out in all directions," Illyana observes, helpfully. "Asgard is…. perhaps not easiest of places to attack head on," she says, clearing her throat. Personal experience lends some authority to her statement.
*
A nod, and Amora settled down into a chair, there were several plush and very clearly thickly built, good Asgardian made furniture. Strong enough to resist the drunkest of Asgardians. Still lined with more pillows than one could possibly need.
"Indeed, I know not /how/ it was destroyed. Very few things in all the Nine Realms could have possibly done so. The All-father's staff, Mjolnir, and only a handful of other artifacts so lesser known that it would do very little to tell you of them.." She pursed her lips, folding a leg over the other smoothly.
"Whatever did so, has the strength, one must assume, to hold Asgard and keep it. A frontal assault will do nothing. If.. it is as Heimdall claimed, as Sif, claimed and Loki has moved against Asgard.." She closed her eyes briefly and back.
"Then either something pushed him to such lengths, or tipped his hand, or forced him.. I know not which would make him move so boldly.." She dragged a hand through her hair.
"Tis nothing Sif can do that Loki shall not plan of if it is him.. I shall scry and find myself mine own answers.. But there are plenty more pressing concerned to be had. Asgard's armies cannot move since the Bifrost has been destroyed. All the other realms shall know it. In short order, all of Asgard's enemies shall turn their eyes to Midgard.."
*
"Da. Am more familiar with Asgard's Peace," Illyana says, nodding her head. "Jotunheim has been, I think, scruffed enough they will slink back to ice caves. And other giants likely see same. Earth can defend," Illyana observes.
"So then, other worlds of the Nine Realms, might consider Midgard. And, not mentioning from beyond Earth," she says, ticking on her fingers. She sits floating in midair, folding her legs under her and the hem of her gown spilling almost to the floor underneath— a posture almost meditative, with her back straight and hands in her lap. "With these… aliens and so on, da? Asgard did much to deter invaders, I think, more than most Earthlings know."
*
A nod, "Aye, what concerns me is that Surtur, the leader of Muspelheim, did not show himself. Ymir was sighted and felled, but not he. A terrible creature.. the All-father was only ever able to bring him to a draw.." She exhaled, her gaze bent downwards in thought.
"There is yet Svartalfheim, the land of the dark elves, they share no love for Asgard and only ever tempered themselves to an alliance when held at the blade's edge. There are the dwarves, who care little of the lands around them, but will hold no love for the elves.." She murmured.
"Then Alfheim, always a staunch ally of Asgard.. who knows what has befallen them? And as always.. Hela and Karnilla. Of Hel and Nornheim.. Neither of which will move from their realms without great need or great promise of power. Neither of whom loved Asgard either.."
*
"So falls to Midgard to defend itself. Or make allies with those who are interested," Illyana surmises, nodding at Amora. "Or at least prepare for inevitably. Have been reading much Machiavelli. Like how he thinks," she tells the leggy blonde, floating a little closer to her new mentor.
"So. Midgard is vulnerable, Asgard is withdrawn. One hopes Loki might make effort to reach out to reassure, but lousy strategy to depend on luck or unreliable allies." She frets her lower lip.
"Is not area of expertise," she admits, finally. "So, what is next step for us?"
*
A smirk and another nod follows Illyana's words and Amora props her chin up with a hand, her elbow resting on the arm of the chair. "All such is possible, aye. We know not the players nor the outcome. Where the All-father is, or the Queen. Such things are in the air.." She sighed and waved her hand toward Illyana.
"I need gather power, the more I have to scry with the better. I will need to break the All-father's command on the limits of my powers and go beyond what was allotted me. Which will be a test in how to find such things." Then she laughed, "Or it would be if I had not already done so. The piece of crystal you hold is what remains of the Bifrost. I have already begun to absorb it's strength. There are other pieces, scattered, that will quickly become carrion for the other realms. I scoured Midgard and found a good deal.. though more can always be found.."
*
"If Odin doesn't like it, Odin should do better job being in charge of Asgard," Illyana observes, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "So, components of Bifrost." She chews the inside of her cheek. "Can help with this, I think. Will need to summon underlings from Limbo. Perhaps ten thousand of the demi-imps?" she hazards. "Only really dangerous in swarm, are quite small— but good at scent tracking," she says, holding her fingers a few inches apart. "Could send them into places to hunt out missing fragments."
*
Amora clapped her hands together once, "Mmm, do so! Such would be a boon indeed. In the meantime, you needs must have eyes on Midgard while my attention is turned to Asgard. I shall peer into the veils and see what can be learned as careful as I can. My focus shall not be on this realm and I shall be at a disadvantage if there is an attack." She murmured, a hand pressing against her chin in thought.
"Reinforce wards where you can, be prepared for chaos. For none yet know the true lay of things. I shall be long at this, searching for the Thunderer and for what ails Asgard. For what struck down the bridge…." She murmured.
*
Illyana purses her lips, floating in a slowly rotating circle, and nods at Amora at the end of a loop. "Will need books," she says. "Have never attempted to ward such a large area on Earth before. And need to borrow focii for setting up monitoring charms, too," she adds. "If were in Limbo, would be easy to do. Here—" she shrugs one partially bared shoulder, not really apologizing, just making note that there are some tasks beyond her reach. "Is sort of thing that might need to enlist extra aid. Is anyone I should particularly contact for assistance? Or avoid speaking to?"
*
"Speak with Scarlett, she has become mine other apprentice. You two shall both set up, not.. full wards. But warnings. We cannot easily, nor do I recommend, block travel to Midgard. These are to warn of any other creatures that might yet appear. Lady Sif fancies herself Protector of Midgard, if you see her, she shall offer arms and might." She murmured, a smirk painting her ruby lips.
"If anything does appear, summon me. I can most likely charm it to gain answers as required. Diplomacy might very well be aught we can do. Hold the line and see if we might not find the Thunderer, or further answers.."
*
"Scarlett. Da," Illyana nods, bobbing her head. "Will seek her out. Is friend of mine," Illyana reminds Amora. "Am glad we will be studying together."
"Am not sure what— what can Sif do?" she asks, cocking a brow. "Not exactly surplus of enemies to strike down at the moment. Do not even know where they /are/," she says. "Seems like it might be prudent to keep her separate from others until she calms down. Attacking Asgard head on will not be very fruitful," the petite Queen of Limbo remarks. "Am not even sure if I can return to Asgard myself. Depends if Odin plugged hole in wall— or told Loki how to do it."
*
Amora shifting, leaning back in the chair as she offered the blonde another nod. "Aye. Indeed, Sif can traverse the realms as she desires. Beyond such?" A shrug follows, a sinuous roll of her shoulders.
"I have barely calmed Sif's temper to hold herself back. She would rush off to her death.. which is something I desire not at current times. It would be for naught.." She dragged her lower lip between her teeth in thought.
"I shall feel out what can be done in regards to Asgard. Check the veil's rip not.. not yet.. Hold it close for it might prove useful later.."
*
"Da. Will attend to it," Illyana tells Amora. She unfolds and refolds her legs, still hovering, ankles resting on her bare knees. "Is anything else you need for now, then? Lessons for today— or focus on wards for now, then deal with lessons later?" the hawkish blonde inquires of her new mentor, one brow hiking. "Much to be done, and urgently, but the lack of timeline is confounding."
*
A sigh, "Lessons will occur when I return. In the meanwhile, find Scarlett. Seek her out. She is aware of the manner in which I speak in regards to the wardings." She closed her eyes briefly, and then gestured toward the stairs.
"Scarlett is upstairs, in her room, four doors down and to the left. I believe you shall find her unoccupied. None will question your passage, but will direct you if needed." She murmured, and then rose.
"I have my duties to tend to, as do you.." That wicked smirk once more plied at her lips and Amora exited with a sweep of her hand and swirl of green smoke.