Rough Passing

Erik, Liam, and Mia felt an overwhelming vertigo as they stepped into the vortex of light. It was unlike anything they had ever experienced. The world around them blurred with colors and shapes blending into a chaotic swirl. They felt as if they were being pulled in multiple directions at once, their bodies stretching and compressing painfully.Erik tried to focus but the sensation was too much for him to bear. His vision spun wildl and he could hear a cacophony of indistinguishable sounds like a thousand voices speaking at once. His stomach churned, he fought the urge to vomit.Liam and Mia were no better. Liam clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he tried to steady himself. Mia closed her eyes tightly, her face contorted in a grimaced expression. The experience was the strangest and worst any of them had ever encountered. And of course, its worse for their families.Then suddenly the chaos stopped. They felt a jarring impact as they were thrown onto a solid surface. The world around them stabilized and the swirling light dissipated.Erik groaned as he hit the ground. He felt pain all over his body from the rough landing. He lay there, gasping for breath. The ground beneath him was hard and cold, made of a smooth, polished stone that felt almost like marble.Liam and Mia were in similar conditions. Liam struggled to push himself up, his muscles trembling from the strain. Mia remained on her back with her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. They all felt disoriented, their bodies and minds reeling from the interdimensional journey they had for the first time.Slowly, Erik managed to sit up, his vision clearing enough for him to take in their surroundings. They were in a vast hall, the ceiling towering high above them. Intricate tapestries and banners adorned the walls. Pillars of gleaming gold and silver lined the hall.Thor stood nearby, watching them with a mix of concern and amusement. He stepped forward, offering a hand to Erik to help him stand."The first journey through the Bifrost is always the hardest," he said, his voice gentle. "You did well, though."Erik took Thor's hand, pulling himself up with a wince. "That was... intense," he admitted, his voice hoarse. "Are we really in Asgard?"Thor nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Indeed. Welcome to Asgard. You and your family are safe here."Erik's eyes suddenly widened. "MOM!"He realized that their families maybe endured something far worse.Erik's mother, Liam's grandfather, and Mia's father were caught in the same swirling vortex of light, but without the protective influence of divine power or the latent abilities their children possessed, the experience was far more harrowing.The three of them laying there with pale face and painful grimace. Their heart pounded in their chest, each beat a painful thud. They feel their body being stretched beyond its limits, as though they was being torn apart. Their mind unable to comprehend the unnatural forces at work. Every nerve screamed in agony and they clutched at their chest, gasping for breath.Erik, Liam, and Mia felt their hearts sink as they took in the sight of their families lying on the cold floor, weak and barely conscious. They rushed to their sides, dropping to their knees as they tried to offer whatever comfort they could.Erik clasped his mother's trembling hand. Her face was pale, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "Mom," he whispered.Liam gently wiped the sweat from his grandfather's brow, his hands shaking as he saw the frailty in the old man's face. The usually strong and resilient figure now looked so fragile, as if a single touch could break him.Mia placed a hand on her father's shoulder, her eyes welling up with tears. His groans of pain tore at her heart, and she felt a surge of anger rising within her.As the initial shock began to subside, a burning anger took hold of them. Erik's gaze hardened as he looked up at Thor who stood nearby. His eyes that once filled with awe and confusion now blazed with fury."You said we'd be safe! Look at them!" Erik shouted, his voice echoing through the hall.Liam and Mia looked up at Thor as well, their expressions mirroring Erik's anger.Thor remained calm, his expression somber as he met Erik's furious gaze. He understood their anger, their pain. It was the natural reaction of those who had watched their loved ones suffer.He raised his hand, a gesture of peace and understanding. "Calm down," Thor said in a deep, steady voice. "I know this is hard. I understand your anger."Thor snapped his fingers, the sound sharp and clear in the vast hall. Almost immediately the grand doors at the far end of the room swung open and a group of Asgardianentered. They were clad in elegant robes."These are the finest healers in Asgard. They will care for your families. You do not need to worry," Thor said.The lead servant, an Asgardian that looks like an older woman with a gentle, serene face, stepped forward and bowed to Thor before turning to Erik, Liam, and Mia."Please, allow us to help them," she said softly.Erik hesitated, his eyes flicking between Thor and his mother. The anger still burned within him but the sight of the healers and the genuine concern in their eyes began to ease his fears."You promise they'll be okay?" he asked.Thor nodded solemnly. "I swear it. They will receive the best care Asgard has to offer. They will recover fully, and they will be safe here."Liam looked down at his grandfather, who was still barely conscious, and then up at the healers. He wanted to believe Thor, but the fear for his family made him doubt."We'll hold you to that," Liam said, his voice hard but tinged with desperation.Mia nodded in agreement, her grip on her father's shoulder tightening. "If anything happens to them..." she began, but Thor cut her off with a gentle nod."Nothing will happen to them," Thor assured. "They are under my protection now."At a nod from Thor the healers moved forward then carefully lifting Erik's mother, Liam's grandfather, and Mia's father onto soft, hovering stretchers. They began murmuring soft incantations that seemed to soothe the injured as they were carried away."Now, you three have to follow me. Sorry, time is of the essence and we can't waste any."The trio immediately followed Thor.---