12. EXT. VALHALLA RUINS - SUNSET

WIDE SHOT of the broken Bifrost at sunset. Heimdall stands at the cliff's edge, facing the shattered dome. Both he and the broken bridge are in silhouette - stark contrast against the setting sun.

HEIMDALL
You tread lightly enough -

He turns.

HEIMDALL
(continuing)
But your friend is as loud as a troll.

Behind him is Skadi, standing very still, her hands behind her back. Further off, in the distance, Bredi is facing away from them, his hands up in the air - weaving a spell. Heimdall quickly reaches for a stone set into the gauntlet on his left arm, but Skadi shakes her head.

SKAÐI
Don't bother. No-one will hear it.

Heimdall touches the stone anyway, but nothing happens. He narrows his gaze at Skadi.

HEIMDALL
What do you want?

SKAÐI
Do you know who I am?

HEIMDALL
I know you, murderer. I saw you bring down Baldr in the Queen's garden.

SKAÐI
Your eyes deceived you. It was the treacherous Loki who brought Baldr down - not me.

HEIMDALL
You and Loki deserved each other. You are as much a liar as he ever was.

SKAÐI
"Was"?
(scoffs)
I know that the Aesir are a simple people, but you cannot really believe that Loki has changed. Once a monster, always a monster.

HEIMDALL
(coldly)
What do you want?

SKAÐI
Tell me where he is.

HEIMDALL
Obliterated, at Surtur's hand. There was nothing left to send over the Falls.
(beat)
You are too late, jötunnkvinne.

She shakes her head and laughs.

SKAÐI
You can hide him from your vengeful sister - but not from me. I know he is alive. Tell me where he is, and I will spare your soldiers an ugly death.

HEIMDALL
You will get nothing from me.

SKAÐI
So be it.

Skadi draws two WICKED BLADES - each one like a cutlass, but with hooks at the ends of the blades and the bases of the hilts. She lunges at Heimdall, who steps quickly back out of her way and draws his own greatsword from behind his back. An EXTENDED SWORDFIGHT follows.

At one point Skadi gets some distance from Heimdall. She links her two blades together by their hooks, and flings the doubled weapon out at Heimdall. Its hooked hilt catches him in the cheek and tears a wide, ugly wound down to his jaw. He bellows in pain, but then grabs the weapon in one hand and pulls Skadi toward him. She falls at his feet.

Heimdall brings his sword down to strike Skadi, but she rolls away and the sword hits the earth with a great CRASH. Skadi grabs a handful of dirt and throws it up in Heimdall's face. He staggers back and she leaps at him - but her movement is stopped suddenly when Heimdall lunges forward out of the dust and PUNCHES her solidly in the face. There's blood everywhere.

BREDI
(concerned, yelling)
Skadi!

SKAÐI
Stay there and hold that spell!

Heimdall comes forward after her, and the two exchange blows as Skadi uses her feet to propel herself away from him on the ground. Skadi slides backward into a rock and stops for an instant - it's long enough for Heimdall to knock Skadi's interlocked swords out of her hands. He has his sword at Skadi's throat:

HEIMDALL
Fredelig søvn, snødatter.

He is about to make the fatal cut when Skadi whispers through clenched teeth:

SKAÐI
(breathlessly)
I found your enchantress -

She grins, but it's grisly, blood-spattered smile.

SKAÐI
(continuing)
Amora, was it?

HEIMDALL
(shaken)
...You lie.

SKAÐI
(hissing)
Living with the Norns, far beyond your sight. Until I found her. And took her.

Heimdall hesitates, and for an instant, he lifts the sword from Skadi's throat. It's just long enough for Skadi to wrest her arm free, draw the knife from her hip scabbard, and drive the knife up between two plates in Heimdall's armor, and between his ribs. Heimdall groans in pain and falls back, clutching his side. Blood is pouring from between the plates.

Skadi seizes the opportunity, lunches forward and brings her bloodied hands to either side of Heimdall's face. Blue-white light flickers out around her fingers.

SKAÐI
(savagely)
Show me what you saw.

In an instant, a series of images flash in rapid succession. The empty Asgard, with Valhalla removed. The final battle between Surtur, Thor, and Loki. Thor and Surtur going over the cliff's edge. Loki's selfless act, saving Jane. Loki falling to the ground unconscious. And then something unusual: a tall pale woman in black and green robes, wearing an elaborate black mask. She approaches Loki's body, and makes a small gesture. His body rises into the air, just a few inches off the ground. Then a moment later, both she and the body are gone.

Heimdall brings one arm up and swings at Skadi; the vision is broken. Skadi releases his face, and his head hits the ground with a THUD. His eyes shut again. He's still breathing, but in terrible condition.

Skadi turns, and shouts over her shoulder:

SKAÐI
Bredi! Bring him. We have no time to lose.