A/N: Time frame wise, this is set 8 years after Burning Curve, for reference. :)
So updates might be a little slow as I deal with some big personal stuff. If you're interested you can read about it at my Tumblr. megaranoelle . tumblr . com
I don't own The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.
Elpis and Bruce were with Melisande as Eindride and Sander were in the bedroom with Loki after dinner. "The cameras didn't catch anything as he pulled in?" Sander frowned a little, glancing over at Tony as he slept, or appeared to sleep. Loki shook his head in the negative.
Eindride was looking at his tablet, a little frown on his face. "I've found him leaving the parking garage. He backs out and starts to leave, then suddenly hits the brakes." He pulled the screen up from the tablet to show in front of them, making the screen a little bigger so they could all see it. They saw Tony stop and look over towards the passenger seat before continuing a second later.
"Something definitely happened," Sander murmured. His phone went off and he glanced at it, reading a text. "Nothing's happened on Tomas's end, but he's keeping an eye out." Loki nodded, sitting next to Tony on the bed, back against the headboard, holding onto one of his hands.
"For once we don't have any enemies just waiting for us, but that leaves us completely in the dark." Eindride sighed, putting the tablet under his arm. "I called Kaia and Nathan and they're alright, nothing weird on their end."
"I'm going to pop home later to get Runa and Vigi," Sander said.
"What about your lizards, snake, and bird?" Eindride looked over at him. He'd only been over to his little brother's apartment once. Once was enough.
"They're at the clinic right now," Sander said, crossing his arms in front of him as he leaned against the dresser. "New students are coming in and I let the clinic borrow them for the students see. In return they take care of them for me for a couple of months."
"Is that legal?" Eindride raised an eyebrow.
"They're not doing tests on them," Sander said, rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't subject my pets to something horrible like that. The clinic keeps them fed, and students get to hold and touch live animals instead of just using books. My pets are well trained."
"He's an animal whisperer like Emma," Loki commented quietly. "He'd know if they were upset with it." He rubbed Tony's hand, still trying to use his magic to reach him. He was trying identify what was blocking him from reaching Tony's subconscious, it was upsetting him that he couldn't figure it out.
Tony could feel Loki's hand, he could hear them talking around him. He tried to make something happen, anything happen, but he was a prisoner in his own mind. He wanted to warn Loki about Adir. Tony couldn't fault Tony's thinking for bringing their closest kids to him though. If Tony had the limited information that Loki was working with he might have done the same thing. So far Adir was unpredictable, and he made it clear that he didn't care about the aftermath of what happened to those that got in his way.
Tony was going to slowly go insane if they didn't figure out a way to break him from whatever Adir did. He wasn't able to fall asleep, he already tried, and he could hear everything that went on around him. The worst part was that he was unable to give them any sort of hints. Tony wasn't sure if Loki would be strong enough to combat the absolute first creator of the Universe, but that didn't mean that he would stop hoping. This was Loki, and he and Loki would almost anything for each other. Including stupid stuff.
Tony mentally sighed.
The three fates were gathered around their book, watching a couple of pages in particular, the text still changing. One of the women held the book in her hands as they all watched. They heard footsteps behind them again and two women looked up, the third keeping her eyes on the book.
"You're not surprised that I'm here, Skuld," Adir said as he approached the Norns. "I suppose that's not surprising either, you are the Fate of the Future."
The woman holding the book and the other sister looked to their youngest sibling. "Do not fumble with the book, Verdandi," Skuld told her sister before turning to face Adir. "The wheel still turns, the waters still run, and life still continues in balance, despite your attempts. I will give warning, though." Adir raised an eyebrow, interested in her warning. "Should you continue down this path, the balance will be no more, and forces involved will act."
"I take your words with little warning," Adir told her moving closer until he was only a foot in front of her. "You can not make prophesies about me, they don't exist. What you see is never certain, and it could change at any time." Skuld stood tall, looking up at him slightly, her eyes hard as she watched him.
"Prophesies about you may not exist, but there can exist those that you are apart of."
Adir tilted his head a little and gave her a little smile. He reached out and pushed some of her hair over her shoulder to fall on her back. He took a step towards her and she let out a soft gasp. "I wonder if you saw this coming, and how this will upset the balance." As he took a step back his hand was pulling a glowing sword from her chest.
Verdandi went to move but Urd put her arm to stop her sister. "We can not interfere, we must protect the book." Verdandi looked at her older sister, then back at the youngest sadly.
Skuld slowly slipped to her knees and Adir took a step past her to look at the other two. He was stopped by a force and raised an eyebrow, glancing over at the golden tree behind them.
"Yggdrasil will not allow to interfere any further," Urd told their creator. "You have caused enough damage." Her voice was soft, but left little argument.
"Very well." Adir looked at them then turned around, walking past Skuld without giving her another look, quickly disappearing into the shadows. Verdandi replaced the book on its pedestal and the two ran over to their youngest sister.
"Why did you not tell us this would happen?" Verdandi asked as they knelt in front of her.
"We all know that you cannot stop what must happen," she said softly. "This was meant to happen, I have accounted for it. The balance will not be upset, not yet." She took a long breath, a pained expression passing over her features. "I have little time, and I have much to complete." Skuld looked up and gave her sister a small smile. "The wheel will still turn, the waters shall still run, and life will continue on, even without me here."
It was the second night since Loki had found Tony. He was asleep, his back up against the headboard, hand still holding onto Tony's. A soft light shimmered in the room, next to the bed and Loki frowned a little, opening his eyes slightly.
"There isn't much time, Loki," a soft voice called to him. The glow stopped and Loki found himself staring at a Norn. "You are one that we have never been able to account for, Trickster. To this day, none of your prophecies have come true. The Realms still stand, Ragnarok has not come to pass, neither have you had any of your foretold children. And yet, balance still stands within the Universe."
Loki sat up, placing Tony's hand on the bed, turning to face Skuld. "What does this have to do with Tony?" She gave him a soft smile as she walked around the bed, closer to Tony. "You wouldn't come down here and show yourself to me if this had nothing to do with my husbands' condition. Do you know who did this to him? Do you know why?"
"Remember what I have just told you." Skuld gently waved a hand over Tony's face, her fingertips starting to glow. "That will answer one of your questions for when he awakens."
"Why did you visit him? Why did you touch him?" Loki had turned to look at her, not exactly at ease with how close she was to Tony, but he knew she wouldn't hurt him.
"I suppose there was no reason, not really," she answered honestly. "Perhaps it is a bit of a cosmic joke. To make him something that he didn't believe in." She looked up at Loki a little sadly. "I am dying." Loki's eyes widened. He didn't know it was possible for a Norn to die. "I can wake him for you, as my last action."
"That would not be my decision to make," Loki said carefully. "He would have to agree to that."
"He knows." She touched Tony's cheek gently. "Anthony has not been asleep, he has been trapped inside of his own body. He can hear everything said around him, and he can feel every touch to his body." Loki frowned a little, looking down at Tony. "Things are going to change after this, for everyone. I wish it had not had to come to this, but there was no way to prevent it." Her hand started to glow against Tony's cheek. "Remember, above all, balance must be upheld." Her body started to fade, the glow starting to cover Tony.
Loki moved over to Tony when she disappeared. After a moment he took a deep breath, his eyes shooting open. Loki leaned down, resting his forehead against Tony's, a hand resting on his neck. Tony wrapped an arm around Loki's shoulder, holding onto him tightly. Loki blinked a little, feeling something wet against his hand. He opened his eyes and saw that a couple of tears had trailed down Tony's cheek onto his hand.
"I can't lose you," Tony was saying quietly. "I can't lose you, I won't let it happen. Please don't let it happen, I need you."
"Shhh," Loki whispered, his thumb rubbing his cheek. "I'm here, I'm with you." He let Tony hang onto him, not sure of what exactly happened, but there would be time for that afterwards. They needed to ground each other first.
