So this chapter might suck. But the last two chapters were pretty action-filled and I felt that this needed to be a slower paced chapter. Also, this chapter is dedicated to Moongrl088 - her birthday was this past week! Everybody should wish her a happy birthday:) Moongrl088, I'm sorry I never got this up for your actual birthday, but I do hope you'll forgive me ? :3
Jane seems tired. Her eyelids droop and her back hunches, though she still has an air of beauty that I can't help but feel jealous about. She pulls her navy blue shawl around he shoulders and stares ahead with squinting eyes. Her feet drag on the ground, but she makes no complaint. Her strength is admirable. I can see why she stands out from the other humans. She would make a great Aesir... she would make a great Queen. Jane Foster is intelligent, and brave, and beautiful. I think of myself. What am I?
A girl created from a madman's mind. A figment of his imagination brought to life by some odd fluke. Will I in time turn as mad as he is?
The haunting screams of Nidhogg still echo in my ears. They resonate against the shell of my skull - they won't leave me alone. We're too far away now to hear him and the deafening silence only accentuates the danger that Thor and Loki are in. I hope so badly that Loki's alright. Oh please, let him be alright! I bite my lip. The scaly face appears whenever I close my eyes; a burning image against my eyelids. It's not exactly pleasant.
"We should rest," I say. "I'm exhausted, and we don't want to stray too far from the guys."
Jane glances gratefully at me. "Oh, finally! I was waiting for you to say it - I didn't wanna seem like a weakling, you know, me being human and all." She gives a small laugh and sinks down. I join her, leaning against the a rock ledge. Jane fishes in the pockets of her robes, pulling out a handful of our rations. She breaks off a piece of the food and I take it thankfully. We chew in silence - our heavy thoughts seem to bind our tongues.
"Tell me of Midgard," I finally say.
"Earth?" Jane asks.
"Um, if that is what you call your realm, then yes."
She thinks for a long moment. "It's chaotic, fragile, and beautiful. And the people are strange. Human life is different than Asgard. I mean, our bodies the same on the outside and stuff but our bone structure and DNA is different. We're more breakable." She plays with the hem of her gown. "There's lots of ocean on Earth," She says quietly. "71% of it is covered in ocean actually, but only 2.5% of the water on Earth is drinkable. And the sky is bright blue and sometimes you can't see the stars at night because of the pollution but when you can it's absolutely breathtaking." She lifts her head up and stares at the shadows that loom above us; as if she's picturing her precious stars. I look up too.
"When I was a kid I would stare at the skies and imagine living up there." She smiles. "I never thought I actually would."
"Who rules your realm?" I ask, genuinely curious about the place she calls home.
"Nobody," Jane laughs through a mouthful of her rations, then she shakes her head. "It's complicated. There's countries, and continents, and presidents, and..." Her voice trails off as gives an exasperated sigh. "It's complicated."
"Alright," I say, disappointed.
"I just..." She shakes her head. "So much has happened within the past two months. Thor returning, Malekith, the Aether, and now this! I don't want to think of Earth when there's so much to discover out here. Imagine what this could mean for science! "
As much as I wish I could share her enthusiasm, I can't. Instead I offer a weak smile and finish the last of my food, staring out into the darkness and straining my ears for any sign of Loki. I close my eyes - maybe turning off one sense will enhance the other.
Still nothing.
A shiver clings to my bones. The silence frightens me. They should be back now, shouldn't they? I squeeze my eyes tighter and I pray that my creator still lives. I picture Loki, his vibrant green eyes, black hair, pale skin, and I imagine him sauntering towards me safe and sound. A desperate hope fills my chest.
"Please be alright," I whisper into the air, so quiet that I doubt Jane even hears. But the sad look she gives me when I open my eyes tells me that she did. Her thin, perfectly trimmed eyebrows scrunch up and her eyes hold oceans of pity. I don't like being pitied.
"I'm scared too," She says. The shadows fold elegantly over Jane's features, and I can just barely see her lips move when she whispers, "I waited for 2 years for him to return. And now that I'm with him again, I'm absolutely terrified he's gonna disappear again."
I let her words sink in, and realize now why she wanted to come on this journey. She will do anything to be with Thor.
"You love him."
She widens her brown eyes at my remark. "Love? No. Maybe." She sighs. "I think so."
I chuckle, "Told you."
Jane tilts her head at me. "And you. You and Loki. At first I thought you were just one of his faithful minions, but then, I pieced things together."
"Is it that obvious!" I gasp, face burning. Thank goodness for the dim light to hide my red cheeks. I recall the way Loki has stuck close to my side this whole time, shielding me from the dangers of this realm. I remember Thor's piercing blue eyes studying me when he first met me. "Does Thor know?"
"I think Thor is too pissed at Loki to think anything right now."
Although I don't exactly understand the Midgardian word she used, I know what she means to say: Thor is furious with his younger brother.
At loss for words, I mumble, "He didn't mean to."
Jane snorts. "Right. Just like he didn't mean to unleash thousands of aliens into New York last year."
I look at the ground, knowing full well that she is right. I can't see my legs, that's how dark it is. I wonder if it's as dark as this in Loki's soul.
"Loki's just lost," I say. "And confused. All his life he's been fed lies and I don't think he knows how to deal with his emotions, so he just takes it out on everyone else. There's a good man in there. Somewhere."
Jane is quiet for a moment. I hear her sigh. "Maybe you're right. Maybe you can convince Thor. But looking at past events, I think it's gonna take a lot."
Smoothing out my knotted curls, I shrug. Then I realize she probably can't see, so I quickly say, "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to show the realms that there is hope for Loki."
I'm walking through a tunnel. The darkness is luminous, a frightful obscurity all around me. I can feel the rocky walls all around me, and as I drag my up the rock I feel the ceiling only inches above me. The air is thick and heavy - it smells of vomit and urine and I have to suppress a gag. And then I hear a dragon's roar. Bile rises in my throat; I thought we'd escaped Nidhogg!
Squinting, I see a light in the distance. Instincts running wild, I race towards it and only stumble on my dress once. When I near, I distinctly see the golden hue of Asgard shining.
Safety.
Just the thought of it sends elation soaring through my veins. Finally I can be out of this horrid valley and out of danger. Up ahead I can see the silhouettes of Jane and Thor standing hand in hand. They look so happy together. And I know that Loki must be where they are.
Nidhogg's shrieks give my legs the energy to run faster and faster, but to my confusion the end of the tunnel does not get any closer. If anything, it's getting further away. What is happening! Desperate, I run faster, grinding my teeth in frustration. But still I don't get any closer to the end. It's like I'm running on the spot. A frantic whimper escapes my lips and I fall to the floor in a heavy thump. The light at the end of the tunnel diminishes and I'm swarmed by the shadows once again. I feel the cool stroke of a tear slide down my face.
"Auzreha."
My head snaps up. "Loki?"
He whispers my name again, the sound dancing around the air and echoing in the darkness. I can't tell where his voice comes from. It seems to be as if he's everywhere at once. Like he is one with the blackness. I call his name again and he replies with a third whisper just as soft as the others.
"Where are you?" I ask, slowing getting to my feet.
"Auzreha. Come find me."
Ugh. Of course he would tease me like that! Hastily, I brush the tear from my cheek and peer around, looking for any sign of the young god.
"Just tell me where you hide," I sniff. This whole experience has really messed with my emotions. "I'm unable to see anything in this darkness."
There's a soft sound, a quiet crackling above my head. I look up, the palms of my hands clammy and my heart racing. At first there's nothing but the dark, but soon a shape forms, tall and lean. Two green orbs peer at me mischievously.
"What ever are you doing on the ceiling?" I ask.
He grins, teeth flashing white. In that moment right there, I see the playful, sneaky boy he once was, who found pleasure in chopping off Sif's hair and turning wine into snakes. The carefree god who held innocence and hope in his heart. Very rarely have I gotten glimpses of that man, and seeing the light glowing in his eyes brings new tears into my own. I reach my hand up towards him just as the crackling noise grows louder. Loki's grin falls, his eyes emptying of happiness and filling with fear.
A burst of red flames erupts from behind him and curls around his body. Loki cries out and writhes, but he seems to be pinned against the ceiling. I hear Nidhogg's roar in the distance. For a second I can't move, frozen with terror. Then I jump with my arms outreached.
But it's no use. He's too high up.
Loki's agonizing yells are ringing in my ears.
Suddenly we're spinning. Everything is a blur of orange and green and we go round and round.
"Loki!" I cry out. His raven-black hair falls into his eyes, which are hollowed in pain. His skin starts to peel of his body, blackened and charred. Little pieces of flesh fall to the ground like leaves in the fall, drifting back and forth in the air before finally kissing the ground by my feet. My heart is in my throat. Soon all that is left among the flames are his eyes - green and angry.
"They did this!" His voice hisses in my mind. "They did this to me!"
All at once the floor disappears. My stomach flies into my chest as I drop into a fiery abyss.
I awake screaming.
Thanks for reading. Please review and tell me how you're finding this story so far. I appreciate your feedback, whether it's good or bad!
And happy belated birthday, Moongrl088!
