The magpie flew at a lazy contented speed toward its destination. The sounds of death and destruction that followed in the avian's wake was like music. If it could laugh it would have, instead it let out a harsh caw of delight. This was the Asgard that it had always craved.
Sensing Creed close behind, it gathered more speed. It flew through halls scattered with a few startled guards, knowing their ends would be quick and bloody. Finally it landed upon the head of a stone statue, flaring its wings and cawing loudly as it waited for Creed to come closer. When the mutant was finally in the magpie's view, it lowered its head and tapped the eye of the statue. The wall behind the statue slid open like a door to a black corridor. Moments after the door slid open, the bird flew into the dark hall beyond without hesitation. It knew that Creed would follow, thus beginning the next chapter of the magpie's tale.
Meanwhile, Odin's face was carefully tended by their healer, who attempted to continue fussing over him. His agitation at the coddling resulted in him shoving the goddess away. "Enough!" Odin snarled. "Find that beast and have him brought to me! And kill that damned bird!" Guards immediately rushed to follow his command while the king stormed away. "Where is Heimdall!?" He bellowed over his shoulder, knowing that the healer-goddess Eir was following him.
"Is it wise to leave yourself unguarded, my King?" Eir questioned softly and Odin rounded upon her with a furious heat in his gaze.
"You question my wisdom?" Odin growled dangerously and the woman paled slightly.
"I...I...." She stammered.
Odin waved a hand dismissively. "Leave me. The great threat of the man-beast cannot harm me. I have bound him. I simply wish to stem the tide of carnage and turn him toward a more deserving target." Eir nodded, bowing in supplication as she backed out of the room.
Thus alone Odin allowed himself to cast another angry thought toward the magpie. The bird was familiar to him. He'd seen it outside his window, watching him with shocking intelligence. Until now he'd never given it a thought. Now the magpie was at the forefront of his mind and seemed hellbent on turning their streets red with Asgardian blood. Whether the magpie was a large part of some greater scheme or simply a herald of doom, Odin would make sure that it was dead...and stayed dead.