Hey Everybody!

Thanks for being patient with the holidays and all. Finally got this chapter edited. Whew!

Enjoy and keep your reviews coming!

Jane, Thor and Loki were yanked off of their feet and into the sky. The trip through this bifrost was so disorienting that when they landed hard on the other side, Jane immediately threw up. Even Thor and Loki were left feeling nauseous. When they finally oriented themselves and Jane was feeling better, they took in their surroundings. They had been deposited on the north side of the city near the Great Ocean.

"Hurry!" Loki yelled. "It will not take us long to reach the palace from here."

They made their way through the city getting stares from the people they passed. Thor helped Jane along and Loki could not wait any longer and he ran ahead, finally making it to the main gates of the palace.

"Halt!" A guard said stepping in front of him.

Loki stopped short before he ran the guard over. "I need to see my father. Let me pass!"

The guard looked at Loki in his strange clothes and brought his spear up to his chest. "Be on your way!"

"Odin is my father and I need to see him immediately!" Loki yelled.

"Move now or force me to remove you." The guard said calmly.

Loki's magic began to tingle in his fingers again. He could not believe this guard did not know who he was.

"It is alright Alrec. This is my brother Loki. Please let us into the palace." Thor said coming up behind Loki.

The guard looked surprised as he saw Thor and Jane come up behind Loki in human clothes. "I apologize, sire. I did not know your brother," the guard said and gave a bow while moving to the side.

Loki took off into the palace. He had to find his father quickly. As he ran to his father's throne room, all Loki could think about was where was Ellie and if she was alright. He hoped he was not too late to find her. Loki finally reached the throne room and ran in to find his father sitting with his head in his hands.

"Father!" Loki yelled. "The Frost Giants have taken my Ellie! We tried to get back through the bifrost but the way was closed."

"Guards! Send a patrol to Heimdall. Something is amiss." Odin ordered without a second thought. "Tell me everything, son."

…..

Anson could not believe that he had just seen a little girl crawl out of the forest. He barely heard her whisper that she needed help. Running up to her, he clearly heard her whisper the word danger before she passed out. Bending down, he wiped the dirt from her face and checked to see if she was still alive. Her pulse raced and he noticed how hot to the touch she was.

As he wiped the dirt from her cheek, her eyes fluttered and she whispered, "Loki…..Odin…danger," and then passed out again.

It was then that he realized this wasn't a little girl. This was the young woman that Thor brought back from earth. The young woman, that he and his fellow guards would take Loki to when he was under constant supervision. Anson sensed something was wrong and knew he had to take her to Odin.

"I do not know where she is! I have to find her! If something has happened to her I will….." Loki was losing control. He roared his frustration and a burst of energy flew from his fingers and hit the wall leaving a large scorch mark that spider webbed across the wall. Loki looked down at his hand in surprise. Never before had that happened. Under normal circumstances he needed an enchantment or his spear to create something so large.

Odin walked up to Loki. "Your magic is stronger."

"I do not know how that happened," Loki said confused.

"There is a lot happening that I do not understand," Odin said moving back to his throne.

"What is going on father?" Thor asked.

"Somehow my sight is being blinded. I sense something is going on but I cannot tell where or when. Someone has learned of a way to weaken us," Odin said.

"What do we do?" Loki asked.

"I do not know, my son. I do not know."

Anson cradled Ellie's limp body in his arms as he hurried to the palace. Many questions raced through his mind as he moved. He knew she had left to go back to Earth, but wondered how she had managed to get back. Ellie had literally crawled out of the forest covered from head to toe in mud and leaves. She warned him of danger, but who could be the threat?

They finally made it to the side entrance of the palace. It would lead them in under the ground and past the many vaults of treasures. Adjusting Ellie in his arms, Anson held his staff up against the plate next to the door. The big heavy door slowly opened and Anson rushed inside. As he moved down the hallway the door slammed shut behind him momentarily leaving him in pitch black. The large booming sound caused Ellie to jump in his arms and she began to struggle.

"Let me go!" she screamed. "I will not let you hurt my family!"

"Quiet, Ellie. It is alright. You are safe now," Anson said trying to calm her.

Ellie squinted in the darkness to see where she was and who she was with. As the torches finally bathed the area in light, she saw she was in a long hallway. The décor was that of the Asgardian palace. She felt relief that she had made it. Her memory came back to her as she looked up into the face of the man that had placed her on the floor and now knelt next to her.

"I remember you. Your name is Anson, right?"

"Yes, my lady. I found you outside crawling out of the forest," he replied.

Ellie looked down at herself and realized she was covered in mud and who knew what else from her long journey.

"We need to hurry! The Frost Giants are coming!" Ellie exclaimed trying to get to her feet.

"How do you know this?" Anson asked trying to settle her. "There is no way for them to get into this realm."

"They managed to kidnap me from Earth and we somehow got here. I don't know how they are doing it, but they are here. I managed to get away and make my way here. There is a small group that is coming to the palace to distract Odin from the army that is hiding back in the forest." Ellie managed to get out feeling breathless.

Anson looked at Ellie for a moment. He was confused at how all this could be taking place and Odin could not see it. "Odin would see all this, if it was true."

"I swear, it is all true. I don't understand what is going on but I know what their plan is. I need to get to Odin. I have to tell him what is going on!" Ellie practically burst.

Anson did not want to believe her at first. There was no way this could be happening. An army in the forest? Then he thought back to when Ellie was here getting well. She was one of the most kindhearted people he had ever met. Ellie always made sure to acknowledge everyone by just saying hello or to thank them. She had to be telling the truth.

"We must hurry then," Anson said standing and extending his hand for Ellie.

She placed her hand in his and said, "Lead the way."

They moved their way through a maze of hallways working their way upwards. Ellie could feel her energy draining, but she would not give up now that she was so close. That's when they both heard the loud booming voices of the Frost Giants. They were coming from around the next corner. Anson held up his hand and motioned for her to stay put. He quietly moved to the corner and peered around to see what was going on.

"Oh no," he whispered as Ellie silently slid up behind him.

"What is going on?" she whispered.

"They are trying to break into the casket vault."

"What is that?"

"It holds all the most powerful artifacts. They must not get their hands on any of them." Anson said.

"What do we do?" Ellie asked.

"We do not have time to go for help. I will have to do something," he said lowering his head in thought.

"We will have to do something." She amended.

"Pardon me my lady, you are but a human. I would be put to death on the spot if something were to happen to you and I could have prevented it," Anson responded shaking his head.

"Well, then I will have to take very good care of myself. But there is no way in hell I'm letting you do this on your own," Ellie stated, putting her hands on her hips.

…..

Loki sat in the throne room with Odin and Thor, trying to figure out what was going on. They were waiting to hear back from Heimdall. They were all at a loss. Not one of them, even Odin, could think of a reason for this blindness.

Frigga entered the room and saw the scorch mark on the wall. "What has happened here?" she exclaimed looking everyone over for signs of injury.

"It seems that our son's powers have been enhanced somehow," Odin replied.

Walking over to Loki, Frigga hugged him.

"I am alright, Mother. The Frost Giants have taken Ellie and I lost control of myself. I am sorry for ruining the wall."

"Oh my! What are you going to do?" Frigga asked sounding thoroughly upset. "Are you going to Jotunheim to get her back?"

"There is more to this story, my dear," Odin said and explained to her what else was going on.

"This has to all be connected somehow. Ellie's disappearance and someone blinding us like this so you cannot see," Frigga said.

"Sire, I have news from Heimdall," said a guard as he entered the throne room.

"What is it? Speak quickly!" Loki practically yelled.

"Heimdall says he cannot see anything out of place, yet he can feel something is not right. Like you, he cannot tell when or where," the guard said. "He is standing at his post and will keep searching for any sign of anything amiss."

"Thank you. You may leave us," Odin commanded.

After the guard left, Odin fell into his chair. Frigga went to stand next to him and put her hand on his arm. "Whoever is doing this has learned well how to hide themselves in shadow," Odin said.

Hanging his head, Loki said, "It is almost as if they have learned what I once did."

…..

"You have no idea what we are up against," Anson said irritated. "These beings are even larger than I am. To you, they would truly be giants."

Ellie slipped around Anson to peek around the corner. What she saw in the hallway took her breath away. They were huge. There were six of them outside the door to the vault trying to figure out a way in. Ellie almost lost her nerve but quickly remembered these were the ones that took her from her home and were threatening the lives of her loved ones.

"I am smaller and faster," she said when she turned back to Anson.

"But you are ill," he said flatly.

"I know I'm not in my best shape right now, but I have to do something."

Right then they heard the door to the vault open.

"Now or never," she whispered.

They both took off down the hallway. Two guards were lying at the door and Ellie quickly grabbed one of their spears. She had no idea how to use it, but she would do whatever she could. Peeking around the door frame she saw the Frost Giants making their way down the stairs towards the treasures. Ellie quickly glanced around familiarizing herself with the surroundings and turned to Anson.

"All we can do is try," Ellie said.

"I am right behind you, my lady," was his reply.

Ellie ran through the doorway and headed down the stairs. She could hear Anson right on her heals. The Frost Giants were heading to the end of the vault to something that glowed blue. She reached them before they were halfway there and screamed as she lunged with her spear at the first one. It turned around and her spear pierced it right in the heart. It immediately fell pulling the spear out of her hands. She was left with nothing to defend herself with, but Anson was right behind her stabbing the next closest giant. That one fell as well and they were left with four more. Anson pulled out his sword and went after the next one. Ellie looked around for something to use but there were no other weapons. She grabbed a hold of the spear sticking out of the giant yanking with all her might, but she could not pull it free. Ellie wondered how she had enough strength to stab him in the first place.

Anson attacked the next giant, but this time he did not have the element of surprise. This one fought back and two more came at him as the fourth one ran for the glowing blue object. One got past him and ran straight for Ellie. She saw it coming and ended up backing herself into a small alcove that she did not realize was behind her. The giant slowed his progress and seemed to stalk her into the small area. Glancing behind her she saw something that glowed a warm purple. She had never seen it before, but it somehow felt familiar.

Behind the giant she could see that Anson was holding his own with the other two giants. However, one managed to move around behind him. While he swung at one, the other smashed him from behind and sent his body flying against the wall. He fell into a heap on the floor. They watched to make sure he did not get up and then followed the one that went after the glowing blue box. Ellie was left to face them on her own. He came at her and she tried to duck under his arm and move past him, but she swung around so fast that she was thrown back into the glowing purple orb.

Ellie felt an electrical rush when her body came into contact with the object. Never in her life had she felt anything like it. It didn't hurt, yet it wasn't a pleasant feeling either. The giant stepped up to her and reached his hand down to grab her. Ellie threw her hands up to protect herself and when her hands came into contact with the giant he was thrown back as if he was electrocuted. He fell to the ground and did not get up. Ellie raised herself to her feet and stared at her hands. This was unexpected and hopefully it would last a little bit longer.

Stepping out of the alcove, Ellie faced the Frost Giants. The one picked up the box and turned to her. She had no idea what to do at this point.

"So there seems to be more to you than we thought," the leader said.

He raised the box and the next thing she knew there was a stream of power coming straight for her. Ellie shut her eyes and held up her hands. She waited for the pain to start, but nothing happened. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw there was some kind of purple force field holding back whatever was coming at her. It was coming from her.

The Frost Giants roared in frustration. The leader lowered the box.

"Interesting," was all that he said. Glancing up to the doors, he saw they were no longer alone. Using the power from the casket, the giants disappeared.

Ellie lowered her arms and stared at her hands. What the hell just happened? The energy in her body slowly dissipated. She turned towards the door of the vault, and all she could see were silhouettes as she fainted.