A/N: Eh, not very pleased with this, but it gets the point across. I guess. As always, enjoy and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: *whistles* I got nothing.

Talks

The trip to the other side of the planet was a fairly short one, given how far we actually had to travel. The two elven guards led us into this transport that greatly resembles a train car, only more elegant. They were metallic, silver and purple adornments on the outside of the rectangular object. Windows were on all sides allowing the passengers to watch the scenery pass by from any angle. The inside was decorated in purples and soft pinks, plush chairs lining the walls. I don't really understand how this thing moves. It actually flies. That was a surprise. As soon as we all entered and had taken a seat, the transporter lifted a few feet off the ground and took off, gaining altitude the more we drew away from the palace. The elven guards stayed standing by the doorway and I didn't see them throw a switch or press any buttons or give any indication that they are controlling this flying machine.

No, that's not slightly worrisome at all.

Much of the time spent was watching the forest fly past. The forest the Light Elves make their home in is vast and seemed to stretch on in every direction well into the horizon. But only a half hour later, we had left the forest behind and instead was crossing a vast ocean. The transporter lowered to just over the surface of the blue water and sped to such a speed that I could actually see the water spray flying away from us. I certainly kept entertained simply watching the water as we shot across.

Another twenty minutes and a landmass could be seen on the horizon. As soon as it was visible, the two guards turned to us. "We are going to be entering Skarvi and Siditi lands within a few moments," the one with golden hair says. He has the same pale blue eyes as Harmes. "We must tell you that we cannot enter their lands without risking attack."

"Us Light Elves and the two races you are going to seek out are not on good terms," his companion explains. His eyes are a slightly darker shade of blue and his hair is a lighter shade of blonde, leaning more towards the white spectrum. "We can take you as far as the very edges of their city, but if we were to enter their city limits, it would end catastrophically for you."

"How so?" I ask.

"They will believe you are with us and will not allow you to speak to their leaders," the second one tells me.

"Their city is small, with much of its citizens spread out over miles of land. Their kings do not convene in a palace like our Lord does. Simply ask any of the people and they will take you to see their king. Try to seek out a Skarvi as they will be more trusting than their Siditi sister race."

"Do you require us to stay for a transport back?"

I look over to Boli, who had been taking in all of this information silently. He thinks for just a moment before nodding. "We are unsure if our guardian will be able to see us once we are inside the Skarvi and Siditi city," he explains. "It would be greatly appreciated if you were to remain behind in case we can't travel back to Asgard from there."

They both bow their heads. "How long do you request we stay?"

Boli looks over to me and Sif. "Two hours should be more than a sufficient amount of time. We only wish to relate the events that brought us to this realm and to see if they have information. If we are not back to your drop off site in that time, you are free to head back to your home."

Two hours does seem like a long time. But the two hour mark is not only a caution in case we end up talking for a long time. It's in case this is an actual attack or ambush. If anything does end up happening and we have to fight our way out, that amount of time should be good enough to fight our way out and run back to the transporter. From the performance of the three I had to fight the other day, fighting these people shouldn't be too difficult.

That is, if they all have the same skill level as those three.

The rest of the trip was made in silence and I returned my gaze to the passing scenery. Once we crossed the shoreline, I noticed the huge difference between this place and the one we just came from. There was a fairly thin strip of vegetation close to the shore, but once we passed that, it was like we entered an entirely different planet. This place was completely barren. Similar to a desert, the ground was completely flat, only rocks and boulders of varying hues of red littering the ground. It was very rarely that we passed an oasis of some kind with blue trees and crystal clear water. I was completely shocked at the transformation.

I looked up at one point and noticed that we seemed to be approaching a distant mountain range. "The Skarvi and Siditi city rests at the base of the mountains," one of the guards says. "We shall be arriving to the drop off point soon."

Soon meaning five minutes. The transporter glides to a stop, settling completely on the brick-red dirt beneath us. Boli, Sif, and I stand up from our seats, bow to the two guards in thanks, and step out of the transporter. We branch out and immediately head towards the distant settlement, Boli in the center and slightly ahead of Sif and I. We walk quickly and the closer we reach the settlement, the sooner I realize that calling it a "city" is a big stretch.

From what I can tell, all of the dwellings look like stone huts. It appears that the people had simply moved and shaped the massive boulders into houses and buildings to protect them from the harsh weather. And the weather is something else. The sun beats down with almost no relief in sight and its only now that I notice that there are actually two suns. I didn't notice the second one before because it's only just starting to rise over the horizon. There are no clouds to offer relief and a brutal wind whips through the barren plain, whipping up the dust and dirt so it ends up beating against you in an aggravating swirl. If it weren't for the fact that plenty of people on Earth live in a similar climate, I would seriously wonder how these people could live here.

We're about a mile away from the settlement when we finally start to encounter the people. Sif and I keep a wary eye on the few that we pass while Boli continues to walk ahead without giving them more than a passing glance. We pass more of the Siditi than we do Skarvi. I don't really know what Boli's game plan is, but I hope he gets a move on it fast.

I really don't like their black eyes.

We reach the edge of the settlement without any problems. Boli stops and Sif and I follow his lead. His eyes are trained on a man only thirty feet away from us. He is watching us with what can only be described as thinly veiled anxiety. He's one of the Skarvi: his long, deep blue hair is pulled back into a ponytail. He isn't wearing nearly as much clothing as the two that I fought, choosing instead to wear light tan pants that cut off at the knee and a matching shirt that leaves his arms bare. I notice that he is actually covered in a smattering of black lines: one circling his neck, a line going down each of his arms to circle around the wrists, and a line spiraling around each leg. At Boli's stare, he tries to stand tall. His tension is apparent though.

"Excuse me," Boli calls to him politely. "Is it possible for you to take us to your leaders? We have an issue we would like to discuss with them."

The man blinks at us for a second. You know how people say eyes are the window to the soul? Well, I never realized just how true that statement was until I had to try and read the emotions this guy was giving off without being able to read his eyes. I really need to start honing my observation skills. He doesn't respond for a solid minute, remaining perfectly frozen. I trade a quick glance with Sif and notice she is just as wary and confused as I am about his lack of a response. Maybe he doesn't understand us? That wouldn't be shocking.

The man blinks again, seeming to come back to life. He nods once to Boli, motions with his hand to follow him, and turns deeper into the city. We all exchange a quick glance before falling into step behind him. He leads us through the dirt-packed streets and I keep a wary eye out at the people milling about. There seems to be an even mix between the Skarvi and Siditi races, their contrasting traits lending an interesting mix. There still doesn't seem to be many people out, given the size of the settlement. And all of their black eyes follow us as we pass.

It's vaguely disturbing.

I turn my gaze forward when Boli pauses his walk. The man walked into an above ground tunnel-type thing. Stone walls maybe twenty feet high stretch in front of us in something that resembles an alleyway in New York City. The area is covered by a grassy type roof, giving the area a deep shade. However, the area inside is lit by natural light so I can only assume that it leads to a type of courtyard. Boli turns to look at us both, his expression telling us to remain on guard, before turning around and walking inside. My hand falls to the hilt of my sword as I follow, Sif's own hand resting against her weapon as well. At least I'm not alone in feeling paranoid.

We walk through the make-shift alley and out to the other side. Like I suspected, it opens into a courtyard, blocked on all sides by stone walls. It's pretty wide, stretching maybe a little less than a football field wide. There really isn't anything spectacular about the place. There are no carvings or paintings to indicate that this is a place of power. Except, you can feel that it is. It's that same sensation you get when you walk into an ancient church, one that has been around for centuries and has stood the test of time. It's the same feeling I get when I walk into the throne room on Asgard. It's just that feeling that this place is important, even if you don't fully understand the why of its importance.

This is where the leaders must spend their time.

My eyes are drawn to the other side of the opening where a small cluster of about ten men and women are standing, talking quietly. Our guide steps forward and we follow at a respectable distance. The group in front of us stops talking and turns toward us all as we walk forward. Seven of them are of the Siditi race, their postures all indicating defense and lack of trust as we move towards them. The three Skarvi face us openly, their posture more relaxed. You can definitely tell which group is the more experienced with outsiders and violence.

Our guide stops in front of them and we all stop behind him. He sweeps his hands out, bowing lowly to them all. He mutters something to them all in a language involving a lot of clicking and guttural sounds. Once he's finished, he straightens and promptly leaves. Boli bows to the group, simply inclining his head. One of the Siditi steps forward—a man—and he speaks to the group around him. They all bow to him in the same way that our guide did, and promptly leave. Sif and I follow their progress with wary glances. Sif turns her head to watch them walk behind us. I choose to keep facing forward. I trust Sif to keep an eye on our backs.

"Asgardians," the man in front of us mutters. His voice is deep and his accent is thick, as if he has only spoken our language a few times in his life. He has flaming red hair that he keeps down around his shoulders. He has a pale blue tinge to his skin and he is wearing the same tan clothing that our guide did. His body doesn't have black markings like the Skarvi race all seem to have. His black eyes stare down at us unblinkingly. Have I mentioned how unnerving those are? "It has been a long time since you have graced us with your presence."

Boli bows his head once. "It has. A couple thousand years, I believe."

"Yes," he says, drawing out the "s." He shifts, his hands moving to clasp in front of him. "To what do we owe the sudden unexpected visit?"

"Can I assume that you are one of the leaders of these people?" Boli asks instead.

"I am the proclaimed leader, correct."

"Is there not another?"

The man blinks slowly. "He is currently… indisposed. I assure you I can handle any problem you present us with."

Boli pauses. I wonder if he's just as confused by that statement as I am. Granted, these people really don't have to tell us anything in regards to themselves, but I am just as curious about why an equal leader of this race would be indisposed. I shove these thoughts aside when Boli starts speaking again. "I, unfortunately, come with unpleasant tidings in regard to some of your people. There was an incident the day before last involving three of your people and two of our royal family. We simply wish to see if you knew of these events and could provide an explanation."

The man cocks his head to the side but I can't tell if it's out of confusion or curiosity. His face remains completely impassive. "May I inquire as to what the incident was?" he asks.

I step forward to stand beside Boli instead of behind him like I was. "The incident in question happened to me. Three of your people—two Skarvi and one Siditi—attacked myself and my daughter on Asgardian soil. It was clear from their attack that they were specifically after my daughter and only wished to incapacitate me. It did not appear that they wished to harm my daughter, but I acted in a manner that would protect her. All three of your people are dead. We came wishing to know if you knew how your people reached Asgard and why they attacked us." I bow my head to him. "I do regret the actions I had to take to get my daughter back, but I hope you will understand that I was only trying to keep her safe."

I lift my head once again and notice that his face is angled towards mine, so I assume his full attention is on me. His face is still completely impassive and it's starting to really set me on edge. He doesn't even look upset that three of his people are dead. I don't find it shocking that he might not care about me or my daughter being attacked, but I at least expected a flicker of something about his people being killed. After all, it was three deaths that didn't need to happen.

He blinks before turning his head to look back to Boli. "I am afraid I cannot answer your questions."

"Cannot or will not?" Boli asks.

The man simply stares at Boli. I take a step back to rejoin Sif's side. I've gotten pretty good at listening to my instincts over the past few years and my red flags are going up like crazy right now. Sif must feel the same way because her hand shifts to grab the hilt of her sword. Boli's body helps to block the action so it doesn't alert our current companion to her movement. It takes all that I have not to do the same.

The man sighs faintly. "I cannot answer your questions for I do not know how or why," he finally answers. "To your question in regards to how they got to Asgard, I do not know. Why would they attack you and your daughter, I do not know."

"Did you know three of your people were planning this attack?" Boli asks, his voice and stance still relaxed and calm. If he's sensing the same thing that Sif and I are, he's doing a damn good job at hiding it.

"No."

"Do you have any information that could help us?"

The man blinks slowly. "If a group of my people attacked you like you say, then it is Her design."

"Her?" I whisper, eyes narrowing. "Her who?"

He cocks his head to the side again. "The Goddess. She is beautiful and wise. If She is after your daughter, it would be best to just give in."

The hell? My eyes narrow in anger but Boli places a hand on my shoulder, telling me without words to still my tongue. He turns back to the leader in front of us and bows his head again. "Thank you for your time. We shall take our leave now."

He hums, staring at us unblinkingly. He finally nods his head to us and Sif and I start to backtrack slowly. Sif turns but I keep my eyes on the leader. I still don't trust it. Boli turns to face behind me, his eyes flicking to mine for a moment. He looks just as cautious as I feel and I know that he senses that something isn't right either. I don't turn until we are back through the tunnel and in the center of the city once more. I spin on my heel as we walk and we quickly head back the way we had come, Sif in the lead this time. I keep my eyes open, trying to find any sense of danger as we walk. I just can't shake the feeling that something isn't right.

"What do you think that meant, Boli?" Sif asks our companion, keeping her face forward.

"I was not under the impression that these people were religious," he answers, his hand on the axe strapped to his waist. "This is something we must look into when we are back on Asgard."

I nod. Something about those last few comments just didn't settle right with me. I guess I just don't understand how it could be that he didn't know of an attack or of how his people could get to Asgard, but say that if they did, it was some goddess's plan. That implies that there is something going on within this group of people that he either doesn't know about, or chooses not to know about. I don't know which option is worse.

It's as we're nearing the last outcropping of stone huts that I hear it. I faint whistling sound that I am a little too familiar with. My eyes widen and I leap forward to push Boli and Sif to the ground. A volley of ten arrows lands in the dirt right in front of us. If we had remained standing, we would all be dead now. Thank you, Uncle Clint, for loving arrows so much. We all roll back onto our feet. I pull out my sword and face the direction we came from. I can make out the shape of people on top of a distant row of huts. Another group is running towards us on foot, all Siditi. I hear Sif curse behind me and realize that she is facing her own approaching group as well.

Well, I guess they were planning an attack. Damn.

"Heimdall!" I shout. Given that the group is still far off, I figure we might have a chance to get away without fighting if he can see us. "If you can, open the Bifrost!"

I wait for all of two seconds before realizing that he either can't see us or he's not going to open it for one reason or another. Shit. I clench my jaw and pull out the knife tucked into the arm brace on my right arm. "Guess we fight," I mutter, lowering into a defensive stance, my back to my companions.

"That we do," Boli answers.

I hear Sif's weapon open into its double-sided form based on the ring of metal. There are maybe twenty people charging me, but that's no clear indicator for how many are actually surrounding us. The few leading the charge on my side have a stick like weapon with them. I take a step forward, giving myself more room to maneuver. I wonder if those are just sticks? I really freaking hope so. I don't want to have to deal with any surprises with this.

I meet the first attacker's over the head strike with my sword, effectively breaking the wooden object in half. I kick into their middle and he goes flying back. I spin and toss my knife into the neck of one of the others with that odd weapon, watching through the corner of my eye as they fall while I set my sights on the next one closest to me. He is a little bit more challenging, charging me with more caution. He manages to keep a hold on his weapon, parrying my attacks fairly well. I feint a sweep across his throat and as he attempts to go and defend his neck, I drop down and sweep my right leg out. He falls hard and I simply stomp on his knee. He cries out in agony, but he won't get back up. I don't want to kill a lot of people here.

I slip the knife out of my boot and continue with my portion of the attackers. I do my best to keep an eye on Boli and Sif too, though. They seem to be handling their small horde just fine. I have to toss one of my knives at a Siditi that tried to attack Sif when her back was turned, but that was the only time one of them needed help. I take down the last one with a punch to their solar plexus and he falls to the ground, gasping. I look around for a second and notice the distant archers are aiming to fire again.

"Move!" I shout, turning on my heel and grabbing Boli and Sif by the arm and dragging them farther out of the settlement. Blissfully, we seemed to have cut down their number by a great deal, so we don't have to worry about fighting our way out too much. Arrows start falling into the ground behind us and I turn to watch the volley of arrows falling from the sky. Sif and Boli dodge them all, but one manages to catch on my arm, simply scratching my skin. I hiss at the sting of pain, but otherwise don't pay it any mind.

We make it to the last row of huts and more Siditi come pouring out of the houses lining them. Boli and I turn to block their attacks, Sif turning back to help us. I hear a familiar sound of thunder and a stream of rainbow light and energy flies over our heads to land some ways behind us before dispersing again. I turn my head from my current fight to see who might have come to help only to be met with no one.

"Heimdall is indicating where we should go!" Boli yells over to us.

"We need to eliminate this horde!" Sif yells back. "Otherwise they will simply cross onto the bridge with us!"

I curse quietly, spinning around and cutting the bellies of an enemy in front of me and one that was also attacking me from behind. They both fall to their backs only for two more to replace them. It feels like they are never going to end. The one who replaces them has a slightly different weapon in hand: it still looks like a stick, but a metallic silver in color. I narrow my eyes at it, trying to figure out what the true difference is. The other ones are literally just sticks. Maybe there are silver trees here? The man rushes me, swinging his weapon over his head. I lift my sword over my head to block the attack.

Only for my short sword to completely shatter on impact.

I stumble back from him, my eyes widening in shock. I lift the hilt to stare at the shattered remains of my favorite weapon. What the hell is that thing made of? Boli and Sif back up with me and I scan the group in front of us, tossing the hilt to the ground. It's useless to me now. There are still far too many and I see more coming. There's really only one option.

"Boli, Sif, get to the Bifrost site. I'll be right behind you."

I coax my fire out of the center of my being with practiced ease, knowing that my eyes are shifting to their red irises. Sif spares me a quick glance before turning and running back. She knows me well enough now to not fight me. Boli follows her after another moment, moving far more slowly. The group stopped moving towards us as soon as I became a dim ember in front of them. The ones in front are watching me with a caution that belies their intelligence. They at least realize that I'm not something they really want to fight.

The Siditi with the silver weapon steps forward, pointing it at me. He says something in their native tongue that I am assuming is directed at them and not me, even if he is staring right at me. I feel a smirk cross my face as they all square their shoulders and shift. They look like they are getting ready to charge. Bring it on, knaves.

I hold my arms out in front of me, narrowing my eyes in mild concentration. I'm trying to coax my fire to be as hot as I dare. It really sucks that there is no vegetation around here, but I might be able to get my fire to stay lit for the seconds necessary to get off of this planet and back to Asgard. I feel the rush of heat pool into my palms, but I wait. I let the energy build and wait for them to make a move.

It doesn't take long before they do. The men in front charge and I smile. I release the energy built up in my hands, sweeping them in an arc to my sides. The entire area starting in front of me stretching out to about twenty feet to each side lights in a stream of blue flames. Many of the Siditi in front catch on fire, running backwards into the waiting throng trying to get away from the heat of the pillar I just sent out. The rest back away from it as quickly as they can. I would smile in triumph. There's just one problem.

I have never felt so much pain radiate from my hands in my life.

I scream, automatically cutting the flames off and bringing my hands into my chest. I crouch down in agony, keeping my hands closed so they won't touch anything. What the hell just happened? I feel a hand grab my shoulder and tug. I manage to stand back up, although hunched over my throbbing hands. I look up and see Boli. He has a hold on my upper arm and he is pushing me back towards the Bifrost site as quickly as possible. He's keeping an eye on the horde of Siditi behind us, but unless they want to run through blue flames, they aren't going to attack us. Shoving my current pain to the back of my head, I jog forward and break through the etched circle. Sif grabs hold of my shoulders to steady me and only a second later we are sent back through the universe.

We all stumble onto the floor of the Observatory and I collapse to my knees. Okay, I can usually handle pain better than this, but I'm just not used to feeling pain concentrated all in one area like this. And it's a pain I am very much unfamiliar with. I feel hands on my shoulders and I glance up to see Loki is kneeling in front of me. Sif is still by my side, her own hands on my back in an effort to give me comfort and to help steady me. Everyone else moves to stand around me, but leaving me enough space to breathe.

Loki grabs hold of my wrists and I hiss in pain. He removes his hands immediately. I keep my arms cradled to my chest, trying to just breathe through the pain and ride it out. "Charlie," Loki calls and I look back up. His eyes are locked on my arms. "Let me see your hands."

I swallow thickly before slowly lowering them from my chest so they are held out somewhat in front of me. I hear Sif start muttering behind me what sounds suspiciously like curses. Loki simply stares at my hands. I'm sure my face mirrors the shock on his own.

My hands, starting in my fingertips and racing down them to the center of my forearms, are covered in burns.