The Priming

-Hex's training years-

It's been two months since Hex has been training with Odin and Hela. Odin did commit to his promise with torturing and beating her until she gets every move and action perfect. She managed to give a few blows back to Odin, only to be stabbed or whipped by Hela. It's as if they want her to succeed and yet punish her for it all the same. She heals quickly at least. One stab wound, no matter how deep, only takes two seconds to completely heal. Odin and Hela uses this to their advantage by torturing Hex even more, claiming that she wouldn't truly know how to be strong enough until she is begging for mercy, begging for her life.

But Hex is much too strong willed to give them the satisfaction they need. She refuses to scream, cry or beg. Especially beg, she promised herself. She would never beg for anything. She was forced to beg and cry for mercy her whole life, receiving knives in her back her whole life. A few tortures and stab wounds means nothing to her anymore. Ever since Hex received her powers, she became someone new. Not only physically but also mentally, challenging herself every day by refusing to fall on her knees in front of another again.

Hex was on her way to her usual morning training sessions. She elegantly walked with her head held high and breathed in the fresh air she receives on her route. Her hair is now level with her shoulders. She ties it up into a high ponytail each time she goes for training, but keeps it loose when ever she is strolling through the palace halls. Hex smiled as she remembers the day she realized she can shape shift and manipulate her genes. Hex practiced for a week on her new discovered ability and eventually figured out how to grow her hair willingly. She immediately settled for a shoulder length, no longer sporting her bald head.

Her control over her shape shifting abilities increased up until she managed to shift into both animals and people with ease as well as put inked body art on her back. The ink started at the very top of the back and went all the way down her spine. The patterns and designs starts small and slowly and gradually gets bigger and intricate as it moves upwards. Hex felt that it represents herself starting small and simple and gradually growing stronger and more unique. Her new life and her new self.

The dresses she would wear when she wanders around the palace were all specifically open at her back so that she can display her mark. A mark she wants people to see, a mark that represents her power. Not only that but Hex also thought why hide such unique art.

Hex arrived at the training grounds and headed towards the training field. She was wearing a simple black training suit without any armour. Odin banned her from wearing any as he thought that she should not be needing it. She knows that she doesn't, but she likes the way she looks in it. Remembering her battle armour tucked away in closet. Her leather boots echoed through the courtyard as she walked.

During her training hours it was forbidden for anyone else to be training. In the beginning she thought it might be for their own safety since she does not have complete control over all her powers yet, but she quickly learned that was not the case. As soon as Hela and Odin started torturing her she knew it was because they did not want the rest of Asgard to know what they do to her. Who they truly are. Hex never screamed or cried which is why noise was never an issue they bothered with. Besides, after about a month Hex started losing her feeling of pain completely. Her powers allowing her to not feel pain made her fighting more aggressive and powerful. She did not worry about death or pain any longer and this made her even more dangerous than she already is.

Hela was standing in the middle of the training field with her arms crossed in front of her chest and stared straight ahead towards Hex. Hela may only be thirteen in Midgardian years, but on Asgard she is far older. She might have the looks and stature of a thirteen old but she had the strength and muscle of someone training for hundreds of years already. She was powerful and she knew it. She was the goddess of death after all.

"You are late!" Hela chastised at Hex.

"I am not! You are always early and blaming me for anything you can so that you have a reason to torture me." Hex said with a straight face and started heading for the weapons stand on the side of the field. Hela ignored Hex's remark, she did not feel like proving a point to anyone especially not Hex.

"You won't be needing those today." Hela said with a devilish smirk on her face.

Before Hex could respond, Hela was running towards her. She conjured two black blades from each of her hands and aimed for Hex. Hex, seeing this coming, immediately stepped out of the way fast using her speed. Sometimes when using her speed during fights, she would appear slightly blurred to the naked eye. Hex saw the opportunity and tried using her foot to trip Hela, but Hela saw this coming and immediately sliced at Hex's leg. The cut going all the way from her ankle up to her knee. Hex would not have noticed it if it wasn't for the now loose fabric around the healing wound.

Hela whipped around and her smile grew even wider. Hela never smiled with her eyes, which always made her seem even more terrifying. She immediately started running towards Hex again and started slicing at her over and over again. All Hex could do was dodge Hela's attempted hits. Hex tried finding weak spots and openings when Hela fought but she could not find any. She only needed one opportunity to punch her. She would send Hela across the field and would be able to at least regain her composure making Hela lose her advantage. Hex's strength improves each time she trains and she wishes for the day to come where she would be able to punch hard enough to send Hela flying to the other side of the palace, or what she truly hopes for is to send Hela across and out of Asgard.

Hela, getting angry at Hex just dodging her moves, switches her tactic and instead aimed straight for Hex's face. She conjured a small black blade from her left hand and instantly sliced at Hex. The blade flew across the field on the impact and Hela just stared confused. She furrowed her eyebrows and stared at the white line on Hex's cheek where the healing wound should have been. Instead it merely looked as if the blade scratched her.

Hex saw the opportunity and punched Hela on her side and sent her flying a few metres across the field. Hela's feet scraping on the ground as she still manages to stand on them. Jumping up into the air, Hela started conjuring blades from her wrists and started throwing them at Hex. Hex on the other hand only managed to dodge a few of them, not being able to conjure a shield of some sorts yet. A few of the blades sliced and stabbed her as she attempts to get away from them. Two of the blades hits her in her right leg and she stumbles briefly. She quickly grabbed them and took them both out, letting her wounds heal.

Hela on the other hand aimed for Hex yet again as she came down and punched her on the right side of her face. As Hex was trying to regain her composure and look towards Hela again, Hela punched her from the left side knocking Hex on her knees. Hela stepped back and walked over to the weapons rack grabbing a whip.

Hela walked back towards Hex and before she could react Hela whipped her. She did so continuously and even though Hex can't feel the pain she could still feel the impact. Hex may be strong but she is still not stronger than Hela yet. Hela eventually got bored and threw the whip to the side. She tackled Hex to the ground, pinning her.

Hex tried escaping Hela's grip but no avail. She was caught off guard and did not have time to react. Hela straddled Hex's back and conjured a blade. She started slicing and scratching where ever she felt like she could. Hex was angry and frustrated at the positions she keeps finding herself in. Odin and Hela always manage to pin her and gain advantage of her, doing what ever torture method they could find.

Hex started shaking from her frustration and suddenly Hela was off her back and flying across the training field. Hela was caught off guard and did not manage to regain control of her fall making her fall with full force rolling as she landed. She was shocked by the sudden force that hit her and stared wide eyed at Hex who had the same surprised expression on her face for a brief moment. Hex managed to use a force field to get Hela off her. She has never managed to succeed in this ability and was proud with her result she managed to get. Hex stood up and looked at Hela with a small smirk playing at her lips.

Hela's brief moment of shock was soon switched to anger. Odin did not tell Hex what powers she holds or what exactly she will be able to do. In truth Odin did not know all of the different abilities Hex would poses. He did not want her to know because he wants her to learn and control them on her own. They would only torture and train them out of her. Her body would start showing its power the stronger she grows. Hela knew this, but was at the same time jealous with the power Hex was given and sought that power herself. Hela quickly stood on her feet and ran towards Hex once again, her conjured blades in both her hands ready for impact.

Hex suddenly found herself embracing her power, the first time she was able to successfully accept her abilities. Her hands golden now started making golden flakes around her and in her eyes as she starts hovering above the ground. Her golden marks appearing on her skin started growing more prominent the more she embraced her power.

As Hela draws closer towards her, she could feel cold hard objects in her hands. When she looked down she saw golden blades emitting from her skin where her marks end with her golden hands. She smiled and looked up at Hela who was now merely a few metres in front of her. Hex suddenly flew forwards heading straight for Hela, refusing to dodge and defend any longer. She will no longer defend herself, but instead attack and have the upper hand. She threw a blade towards Hela and immediately conjured another in its place.

Hela did not expect this and instead of throwing her own blades she used them to defend herself. Her blades broke from the impact since Hex's blades were stronger than gold and Hela's were simply obsidian powered from her necro-energy she used. Hela managed to dodge to the side away from the golden blade, missing her head with mere centimetres. She stared wide eyed at Hex heading towards her and regained her composure in attempt to fight back.

As Hex landed she punched the ground which made Hela stumble and fall back on the ground. Hex smiled and started spinning her blades attempting to disarm Hela and make her yield. She did not aim to kill Hela, not today at least.

Hela tried defending and dodging, but the blades she conjured was nothing compared to Hex's. Each time Hela tried to dodge, Hex would hit her on the head. When Hela tried to land a hit on Hex, she grabbed her arm and pulled Hela towards her and spun her around. She kicked her feet from underneath Hela and twisted her arm to her back and pinned her to the ground. Hex conjured a blade on her left hand and held it to Hela's throat making her freeze and struggle no more.

"Yield!" Hex spat at Hela. It was time that she should know where she stands now. Hex will never be on the defensive side again.

"Never!" Hela spat back.

Rolling her on her back so that Hex could be face to face with Hela, she straddled her and once again held the knife to her throat. Hela tried escaping, but Hex was now too strong for her. Hex was completely letting her power flow through her. She had better control and abilities than what she had when she first stepped onto the training field this morning.

Hex stared Hela in the eyes, challenging her to make another move. Satisfied with the slight fear in Hela's eyes, Hex stood up and turned around heading towards her room. She barely made it a few metres when Hela tried attacking her again from behind. She refused to accept defeat. Just as she was about to reach Hex, Hex spun around and punched Hela with such force she flew across the other side of the palace out of sight. Hex knew she could throw her out of Asgard now if she wanted, but she also knew that now is not the time or day. She is waiting for that special occasion for when the time comes.

She spun on her heels and headed for her room with a grin on her face. Satisfied with the events of today. As she passed the entrance way of the training field, she briefly spotted Odin looking at her. She knew he was watching, he always does when he isn't training with them. He gave her a small nod and walked off. Strange. Hex thought. This is the first time Odin was even remotely pleased with her. Today truly was eventful indeed.