Thanks for still reading and massive apologies for the wait – real life has been so hectic for me I haven't had much chance to write. Hopefully I'll find the time to catch up with all my Loki/Sif stories very soon.
Even with her fierce, warrior's pride running through her veins, Sif was unable to prevent her eyes from instinctively squeezing shut as the dragon's flames erupted around her. Bright flashes of red and yellow, orange and white danced beneath her eyelids and her ears were filled with a deafening roar. The blazing air crackled and snapped, stealing the breath from her lungs, the thick, acidic smoke choking her. The intense heat was suffocating, prickling her skin and stealing her strength. Yet her skin did not burn and she opened her eyes cautiously, blinking back the blinding smoke and stinging tears. Surrounding her, she saw the weak, emerald light pushing back the flames; a thin shield protecting them both from the full onslaught of the dragon's wrath. It flickered, weakened and a quick glance at the strain etched upon Loki's features told her it would not last long. Already the heat was growing in intensity, pushing at the barrier and starting to scorch her skin. She crushed Loki's hand in her fingers, clutching tightly. The emerald shield flickered brighter then, the blistering heat dissipating slightly. Sif strengthened her grip and forced whatever strength and will power she still had into that hold. She had no idea if it would help, but she would do anything to give them just a few more precious seconds in this life.
In these last few moments remaining, Sif knew she should say something to Loki. That here, at the end of all things, she should finally admit the truth. But the words still failed her, as they had for countless centuries. And even if she could find the words, her mouth was too scorched from the bitter smoke and intense heat, her lungs starved of air as the flames consumed all they could. Instead she just grasped Loki's hand tighter, trying to put into the hold what she could not put into words. Maybe, together with all he had witnessed this night, Loki would finally understand what he meant to her.
Sif knew they would not have long; Loki's weight was already sagging into hers and her own strength was ebbing away fast. The faint green shield was barely discernable now and the flames pouring all around them were not lessening in their own intensity. She squeezed her eyes shut as their potency grew, still seeing the vivid colours of the flames, beautiful in their own lethal way as they danced around her, growing brighter and brighter before her.
Loki felt the intense heat start to burn his skin, his shield growing weaker as his magic was quickly exhausted. Yet even now, his mind was fervently sifting through the possibilities, following every potential course and searching in vein for any chance to save them. He wondered if there was some way he could at least protect Sif, for her safety was all that really mattered now. But even as he quickly filtered through every plan his mind could conceive, he knew it was impossible. If he forced the focus of the magic onto Sif, made the shield stronger around her, it would only weaken himself sooner, and then what hope was there for Sif? The dragon would not leave her alone, not now. And he could not deny how much he was relying on her strength, her back supporting his weakened body and her hand holding his, giving him a reason to keep fighting.
But it was too late now. His shield was flickering ever weaker by the second and the dragon's eyes were growing in ferocity. Loki shut his own eyes against its cruel, strangely taunting gaze and the blinding flames. The magic still flowed out of him, the spell spilling from his lips and his hand clutching tighter to Sif's. Part of him wondered what she would make of all this, if she might understand what it meant to him. If she knew the effect what he had witnessed earlier still had upon him. But it did not matter. In a scant few moments his shield would give out completely and then what hope was there for them? Not much, Loki thought, but was that not the same as it had ever been? And perhaps there were worst ways to leave this realm. In this moment he could at least pretend Sif's hand entwined with his was more than desperation and fear. And at least it would be quick, Loki mused as he poured the very last ounce of his weak magic into the shield as it flickered out of existence.
A sudden whistling sound filled the clearing, a shrill vibrating loud enough to be heard even above the cacophonous sound of the dragon's flames. It was a noise vividly familiar to Loki and Sif and both opened their eyes wide in surprise. It took several moments for them to clear the acrid smoke and salty tears from their eyes, before they could even make out the scene enfolding before them. The first thing they were aware of was that the flames had stopped. Only the vivid after image of the bright red and yellow flames danced before their eyes. Their skin still prickled, burning with the heat though its intensity had gone. Then, there was a deafening crash, painfully loud to their abused ears. Their eyes followed the sound and saw the damage before they realised the cause. Five trees had been ripped from the ground and lay inverted, their roots forming macabre silhouettes against the sickly yellow light still illuminating the clearing. Several surrounding trees were snapped in half, yet more shaking unsteadily, their heavy boughs swaying precariously as the trees fought to remain upright.
The dragon lay amongst the wreckage, his long tail crashing through more trees as it slowly stilled. Its scaly back was embedded in the thick trunk of another, its form bent double from the impact and the branches hanging down like a cage over the dragon's now motionless form. Its head lolled downwards, its sickly yellow eyes empty and its mouth twisted in a grimace of surprise. Its huge head was dented on one side and a moment later Mjölnir once more came spinning through the air. Their eyes tracked it through the slowly dissipating smoke and saw it land in the outstretched hand of its wielder. Thor.
Many a time had the first prince come to her aid in battle, but Sif had never known such sudden, overwhelming relief. It rushed through her veins and stole what little strength she had left. Her muscles collapsed and she fell against the supporting weight of Loki. His own strength gave in at the same moment and they both fell to the floor in a tangle of twisted, intertwined limbs.
"How fare you, brother? Sif?" Thor's concerned voiced filled the clearing as he started to move towards them, ready to help. He reached a hand towards Loki, offering his assistance. The Warriors Three followed behind, their own eyes anxiously surveying the damage to the clearing, the great beast immobile against the trees and their two friends, lying in a heap on the floor, surrounded by a faint, flickering green light.
"We fare well, Thor! No thanks to you!" Loki retorted, waving Thor's outstretched arm away and fighting back a cough as his throat stung in the thick, acrid smoke. He quickly pushed Sif off him and stood up to his face his brother. Every muscle within his aching body protested the movement, but pride overran the pain and he was determined to maintain his dignity before his older brother and his friends. His irritation helped to overcome the tiredness in his bones and he managed to stand without shaking or support. He was grateful to his brother, he had just saved their lives after all and Loki could not fault that. Yet he resented the fact that once again Thor had saved the day with his superior weapon Mjölnir and that Loki had even needed the help. He hated to think how much Thor would talk about saving his weaker younger brother from a fierce dragon, and how the story would become ever more embellished with every retelling.
Sif immediately followed, her own pride overcoming her injuries as she stood up tall, facing her friends. She was careful to ensure there was a good distant between her and Loki, already anxious that they might suspect something amiss. Even though her skin was still prickling from the intense heat of the flames, her fingertips felt cold now, empty. She clenched them tightly at her sides, trying to ignore the lingering touch of Loki's fingertips and forced the foolish thoughts away.
After he had ascertained that his brother and friend were relatively safe, Thor's boisterous laughter suddenly echoed around the clearing, the overwhelming cheer belying the undercurrent of worry he had been harbouring not moments before. "Of that I am not sure, brother, for it looks like we arrived just in time!" He jovially slapped Loki around the back and Loki did his best to hide the sudden wince of pain.
"Rather late in the day I would say. You have missed most of the fight, brother. The hard work had already been done." Loki tried to keep his voice light, teasing, but the words came out harsher than he intended.
"How did you find us?" Sif asked, stepping towards the crown prince and trying to turn the conversation away from the tension simmering within Loki. She knew well enough Loki's gratitude towards his brother, but Sif also recognised the bitter tone edging his voice and she knew its potential to feed the resentment sometimes festering within him against his older brother. Sif's own forbearance was much too strained by all they had been through this night and she had not the patience to see Loki's sullenness grow further.
"We followed the sound of all the noise!" Fandral answered, his voice merry and seemingly unaware of any mounting tension between the brothers. "The dragon was making the most ferocious racket that I am sure all of Svartalfheim could hear it!"
"It must surely have been loud to have woken you four from your beds!" Sif smiled at them, her voice too cheerful but she did not care. The relief was still flooding through her veins and she would have hugged each one of them had her fierce pride not condoned it.
"We are always ready to fight!" Volstagg answered, feigning offence.
"Aye! Except when you have too much good food and too much good ale!" Sif replied teasingly.
"What were you two doing out in the forest?" Hogun suddenly asked, his rarity with speaking and voice graver than usual drawing all of their attention.
Sif looked quickly at Loki, suddenly feeling immensely embarrassed and ashamed at what had happened. A suitable explanation caught in her throat and she was unable to speak.
"I do not know what Sif was doing out here, but I sensed the dragon's magic and followed, hoping to seek a mighty prize for our return to Asgard."
Sif's relief at Loki's swift response was quickly turned into annoyance and she answered back defensively, "I was merely taking care business when the dragon came and attacked me!" Sif's hand clenched tightly at her sides, protesting the lies she told and her guilt made her quickly add, "Luckily, Loki found me before the dragon had caused any harm."
"But why are you so deep within the forest?" Hogun probed, his voice surprisingly suspicious and Sif looked at him in alarm, wondering what he was insinuating and what he might suspect.
"The dragon's magic was strong; it must have led Sif astray, as it did myself." Loki added, his voice so perfectly calm and his words so credible that had Sif not known better, she would have believed them to be true. "The dragon's attention must have been too divided in the fight and his magic weakened, allowing you to find us."
"And thank goodness we did, for you were both nearly burnt to a crisp!" Volstagg added, his voice light hearted though he was less adept at clouding his earlier concern than his friends.
"Indeed, and for that we are grateful," Sif added, throwing Loki a reproaching look lest he decide to contradict the claim. "We fought the dragon bravely, but its might was too powerful for us to conquer." Her voice was strong as she spoke. Sif had her fierce warriors pride, no one here would ever refute it, but her friends had saved her life, saved her from her own foolish folly, and Sif found no shame in admitting her gratitude for that. Her own shame lay only in her weakness of the heart and mind, not in her strength and battle prowess.
"Well brother, I hope you have learnt your lesson and you do not try seeking out such a prize on your own again." Thor reprimanded Loki. His words and voice may have been curt, patronising, but all here knew the concern and affection Thor held for his brother and the reason for the command.
Sif was well aware that Loki knew it too and it helped still his own tongue. Though the quick look he threw in her direction made her realise the deeper reason behind his actions. He was covering for her and Sif felt yet more weight on the burden she owed Loki for his help this night. Especially considering how much further it went than just her own ability as a warrior to protect herself.
Instead Loki just rolled his eyes and looked out across the clearing towards the wreckage. In their chatter, the giant dragon had gone unnoticed and as Loki looked closer, he instinctively stepped backwards, away from the beast. "I think you may have to hold your own words, Thor. It seems the dragon is too strong even for the might of the great Thor and Mjölnir." Loki's voice may have been mocking, somewhat pleased with himself, but he deeply wished there was no occasion for it. As resentful as he may be, he would have gladly traded several millennia of mocking from Thor to the sight he saw before them now.
The dragon had not been still for long. With its enemy distracted, it had surreptitiously wielded its magic, healing its wounds until it was now able to stand once again. The six Asgardians turned towards it slowly, their faces growing pale as they stepped backwards and closer together, away from the great beast that was slowly starting to move towards them.
"You might be needing this," Fandral shouted, before throwing Sif her sword. She caught it deftly, the cool metal of the hilt feeling like a second skin in her grasp. Clutching it tightly, she turned around with her friends as they prepared to fight the great dragon looming over them once more.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter and that you come back to read more. As ever I would love to know what you think.
As for the mild cliffhanger – well, you didn't think it would be that easy for them to kill the dragon, did you?;-)