So here is the next chapter and I deeply hope you all enjoy it! Sorry for the longer delay but I think you'll find this worth it!

Who is she?

Goodness only knows

What she does to my heart

I wish only I may know

Chapter XII: Sigyn

A gentle hand shaking her awoke Jane. She looked up, blinking under lovely lashes and saw Thor who said simply.

'It's two o' clock, time we were making plans.'

Jane nodded and sat up, yawning. Beside her Darcy was already on her feet, brushing her fingers through her hair to try tidy it. Loki was some way off, his eyes fixed on Asgard ahead, a whirl of light flicking in a dance about his finger tips, shimmering with the beauty of Asgard, mingled with tips of frost.

'Loki's powers have returned,' said Thor, seeing Jane's eyes trained on the magic dancing around his brother's fingers.

'So I see,' nodded Jane,' Hemdall released them then?'

'So he must have,' said Thor, his brow creased,' it's a great help for us,' he went on,' but I can not imagine what made him make such a decision.'

For no particular reason Jane felt herself strongly disinclined from admitting her part in Hemdall's decision, so she made no comment, only took Thor's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

Loki turned now to face the group, closing his hand over the glowing light he had held within his palm, making it die away.

'Are we ready?' his voice was steady and at ease. The return of his powers seemed to have almost imperceptibly changed his manner, it had more of his easy, confident air once more.

Thor glanced at Jane and Darcy, then nodded.

'Excellent,' Loki began to pace up and down in front of them all.' I have given this matter much thought for the last hour or so,' he said,' contemplating the most successful way in which we might infiltrate Odin's vault, with the lest chance of being seen to do so. The main defense on the vault is the Destroyer...'

'Wait they built a new one after I destroyed the last?' cut in Thor.

Loki looked round at him,' I built a new one actually,' he said coolly,' while I ruled.'

'I'm guessing you turned the vault into one difficult place to break in?' said Darcy.

'I did, but fortunately I was only too aware of the possibility that the day might come when I would once again be an enemy of Asgard and I... kept that in mind when I set in the new defenses.'

'Will Odin not have changed them by now?' asked Darcy.

'No indeed,' said Loki,' he won't have observed those I did in secret and why change the rest? May I return to the plan in hand without further interruptions?'

All three nodded in silence and Loki went on, continuing to pace,' the new Destroyer will not come out if a frost giant...'

'What kind of a defense is that?' demanded Thor, not waiting to hear the rest,' they are the very ones who would be stealing it!'

'May I finish?!' snapped Loki,' it will not react if a frost giant wearing the form of an Asgardian takes it up and how many of those do you know? It has been commanded to do so by it's king, myself at the time, and that will not change unless another king so prescribes, and I think it safe to assume Odin will not have done so.'

'So we know how to take the casket,' said Thor,' but how will we enter the vault?'

'First we have to pass into the palace. The main doors are all guarded, but we may enter by your chambers brother, where we know the way in through the upper window. The vault as you know is many floors below. There will be guards along the corridors, we need them all to find a diversion,' Loki looked toward Darcy,' for which we will rely on you,' he said.

Darcy tilted up her chin,' how?' she asked bluntly.

'They won't know you in Asgard,' said Loki,' hold out your hand.'

Darcy frowned at him, but extended her hand. Loki opened his own palm and let a stream of light go. It sailed through the air and covered Darcy's hand, like a shimmering glove.

'When you are ready,' said Loki,' you can let that sail into the air. Now to other details...

Thor's rooms were out of order when they all got in through the upper window, Thor having patiently flown each one of them up. Thor's things cluttered the floor and Jane tutted slightly at the rubbish, while waiting for Thor to bring up the last member of the party, Darcy, who arrived without mishap. Loki then moved to the window and slid it shut so it closed with a soft hiss.

Loki turned then to Darcy,' move out and down to the left,' he said,' once you reach the statue of Queen Frigga thrust out your hand and the magic I gave you will cause a disturbance like never seen before. Then move down stairs, mingling in with the people and exit by the main gate, the main one mind, then wait back where we started.'

Darcy looked at him, her expression weary,' okay,' she said,' this better work Loki.'

'Oh you'll be quite safe,' he assured her,' now go.'

Darcy moved to the door and opening it she dodged out and headed down the corridor to the left. She saw the statue of Queen Frigga, it stood tall and imposing and she dodged behind it and looked down at her shimmering hand. She flung it out with a quick thrust and the light spun into the air and then to her unspeakable amazement it took the form of Loki himself.

He turned on the spot and laughed with his own voice and Darcy thinking she had best work with the image, screamed. Guards came running and eyes fell on the figure of Loki, who was now moving down the left corridor. Darcy turned away, thinking there was probably more to this plan of Loki's than he had seen fit to mention.

Placing a version on himself in the palace was her idea of madness, seeing this would so-called alert Odin to his presence, but it probably would not be long after that that Odin would seek out and find the real presence of his son, guessing he had caused the shadow of himself to appear.

Darcy began to run for the main gate, following directions given her by Thor, but in this she failed to succeed. She noticed only to late than she had run too quickly, for a trail of shimmering magic had followed her half down the corridor. A few guards had seen it and now came tearing after her.

Darcy swung about and began to run with all her might down the stairs. She was swift and continued down, skipping steps and finally even jumping over banisters to steps below, her heart pounding like a drum.

She didn't realise how far she had gone until she leaped down some stairs and found there to be no more, only a long passageway, lite with torches, shimmering down the gold coloured floor, rushing on toward a massive door at the other end.

Darcy glanced over her shoulder. The guards were a little way behind her and she began to run across the corridor, finally reaching the door at the end she burst it open and sprinting in slammed it shut behind her.

She leaned against the door, breathing hard, but was then alerted to a sound behind her and turned slightly. Her mouth feel open and her heart stopped altogether for a moment, for behind her was a massive, swirling worm hole that seemed to show into the depths of another world, with a sky so deep a blue it was almost navy.

Behind her Darcy could hear the sound of the guards and for a moment she hesitated, but there really was no other way out. She took a breath and stepped through the hole.

They waited until they heard the guards cluttering down the corridor, then Loki opened the door and the three of them slipped out together.

'What kind of diversion did you set up there exactly?' asked Jane,' cause it sure seems to be working!'

'It had to be... very absorbing, so I was forced to project myself in the corridor.'

'What!' Jane rounded on him,' won't that alert Odin to our presence?'

'Yes, but he won't know exactly where to find us and by the time they are all done chasing phantoms we will be long gone.'

'Let us make sure that is the case,' said Thor and he picked up the pace down the corridor. Loki and Jane hurried after him and they reached the back, rather disused, steps, which were a little hidden behind an old door. The door was locked but Thor broke it open with ease and hardly any noise and the three of them hurried in and shut it behind them.

The steps before them were very winding and steep. They moved with speed, Thor nearly slipping on the narrow steps, while Jane's small feet and Loki's agile figure stood to their aid. They could hear no sound of being followed and on reaching the bottom of the steps at last Loki glanced over his shoulder and then nodded to Thor down the corridor to their left.

'There is a door at the end of that corridor,' he said,' raise it and an automatic alarm will go off, effectually blocking any sound from the one to the vault when Jane and I open it. Once you have it open, run, head back where we started.'

Thor nodded, having decided to leave his little brother to make the plans, it was more his area of expertise after all.

Loki turned to Jane,' we move forward,' he told her and the two of them sprinted on ahead. The massive door to the vault stood before them and Loki went straight to the control panel. He paused here a moment, waiting to hear the distant alarm as Thor ripped open the outer door. He heard it go off and at once switched the lever which sent the vault door rising up, letting out a shrill shriek.

Jane covered her ears with her hands and looked up at Loki.

'Listen,' he spoke in a hurried tone,' this threshold will not allow me to pass, but you are Midgardian and, arrogant as the Asgardian race is, they will not have protected this door against your kind, feeling it to be impossible they should reach this point.'

'What use is that?' asked Jane in hushed tones, removing her hands from her ears even though the noise continued.' I can't pick up the casket, you have too.'

'That is why we must trick the system, we must step over together, at exactly the same pressure, it must not recognise two of us. You must be one split second before me, it will recognise and ignore you and if I step exactly the same, an unrecognisable time after it will fail to detect me.'

'Well that rather leaves you with the hard role,' said Jane, in a tone of some relief,' ready when you are.'

Loki focused his eyes on her boots,' go,' he said almost inaudible.

She stepped over and didn't even realise he had followed until he stood behind her, within the entrance of the vault. Steps lead down before them and rushing along a gold floor to a tall table at the end where stood the casket.

'Go,' Loki indicated the door,' go and shut it behind you. The alarm will cease the moment you close the door and will, I trust ,have gone unnoticed. Join Thor and Darcy.'

'How will you get out then?' she asked.

'I shall open it from within and then run and trick my way out, as I always do. Go.'

She nodded and stepping out pulled the lever down again. The door slide shut, the sound ended at once and Jane moved down the corridor. She was about to sprint up the steps at the end of it when Thor's hand caught hold of hers and pulled her down the right corridor, while many heavy footsteps echoed behind them.

Loki stared down the long walkway, feeling faintly sick. This place always made him remember the day he had learned of his true parentage, it had been in this room and he had stood at the bottom of these steps, gazing, horror stricken at Odin as that so-called parent tried to explain the truth to a son who, distraught, would not hear reason.

Loki pushed the memory from his mind. It was one of those that he locked away and avoided the memory of, for if it came it burnt in his heart and mind, stealing his almost non-existent peace.

He turned his eyes instead to the casket and felt a shock. A figure stood by it, thin and slight by it's light, in a flowing dress of satin and with a tower of brilliant, blonde hair, lite by the blue shimmer of the casket, throwing shading lights amidst it.

Loki could not think how she had got there, but he saw her take a step forward and reach out both hands to clasp the casket. Either she did not know or realise the power of the Destroyer to be taking such a risk. Loki knew what it would result in, the ruin of his plan. He not shout down the corridor, instead he sent a sprint of ice across the floor and it swept her off her feet as it slide under them and threw her onto her back, melting away in the next instant.

She was on her feet again in a moment, tossing back her blonde hair to see who it was had attacked her. Loki felt another shock. He had seen this woman before, he knew those eyes of china blue. He stood, one hand outstretched, half threatening, half warning.

'Would you awaken the Destroyer?' he asked.

She looked at him, her rosebud lips slightly parted in an 'oh' of surprise,' would you?' her voice was music, with that husky hint, beautiful to listen too.

'I would not,' he said, beginning to walk toward the casket.

'The direction in which you step would defy that you say,' she said simply.

'No, for the Destroyer will not stop me.'

He had almost reached the casket and stood a few mere steps from it, with only her in his way.

'I don't think I know you,' he said.

She smiled faintly,' Sigyn.'

'Loki.'

She smiled and stepped back,' your casket I think,' she said.

He stepped up the platform and took up the casket. There was no sound from the destroyer and the casket seemed to vanish as Loki flicked his hands at it seemingly stowing it in his jacket, though there was never enough space for him to do so. But this way to hind the casket was an old frost giant's trick and one he had used when last wielding it.

Sigyn's eyes were fixed on him,' you wield ice and hide the casket of the frost giants,' she said,' who would have guessed the son of Odin had so many secrets?'

'And what would a daughter of Alfheim have to do with such a weapon as this?' asked Loki, turning to face her.

She smiled, but ignoring the question, asked simply,' have you a route out?'

'The door,' said Loki with unusual straightforwardness,' are you coming too fair Sigyn?' he held out a hand to her.

She gave him her own slight one, and nodded her small head. Their fingers closed over one another's and they began to run down the hall toward the door. Once there Loki pulled the lever open and they both slipped out. The alarm of the door was followed by a second caused by their stepping out of the vault. Loki let go of Sigyn's hand and pulled the lever down.

One glance at each other and they both sprinted down the corridor. The reached the end of it to find themselves facing a group of guards blocking the stairway.

'Quick!' Sigyn caught hold of Loki's hand and they pulled him down the corridor to the right. At the end of it she turned to the left, left again and right. At the end of this corridor was a door and she raced for it. They reached it together and Loki, glancing down a corridor to their right, while Sigyn pulled the door open, spotted Jane and Thor.

Jane saw him and pulling Thor after her they came running to the door and all of them burst in. Jane gasped as she looked up and saw the wormhole into a another world before her eyes, but Loki turned with irritation to Sigyn.

'I assumed you knew where you were going,' he snapped.

Sigyn looked ahead of her at the wormhole,' Asgardians can't see it,' she told Jane who was staring at Loki,' Midgardian are you not?'

Jane nodded.

'Ah,' Sigyn drew a breath,' we always forget to block your kind, step before you Loki, Odin son,' she then noticed Thor behind his brother, also apparently confused,' oh and you Odin son,' she said,' a path to my world lies before your feet.'

'A wormhole!' exclaimed Jane,' it's incredible! But Darcy, we can't go without her...'

She was cut short by Thor, who took her hand and pulled her through with him. Loki glanced over his shoulder.

'What is it?' asked Sigyn,' we have no time to waste.'

Loki thought of Darcy, but presumably she had left the palace by now. He stepped through the wormhole and Sigyn followed, waving a hand and closing it behind her.

Loki hit ground the other side and stared up at the almost navy sky, then looked to see none other than Darcy, with her arms wrapped about Jane.

'I was so worried,' she was saying,' I came here in desperation,' she turned her head now and saw Loki and Sigyn. Her eyes seemed to gaze past the latter and she ran to Loki and threw her arms round his neck.

Loki started, taken completely aback,' I was so darn worried about you,' she burst out,' especially since I hadn't forgiven you and...'

'I'm sorry about that,' Loki said the words almost automatically and then his brow creased, he actually meant the words he had uttered,' I really am sorry,' he added, in a lower voice.

Darcy let him go,' consider it history,' she said, smiling at him.

It left Loki with an odd feeling in his stomach as he turned and glanced at Sigyn.' Sigyn,' he said,' allow me to introduce you, these are Darcy, Jane and Thor.'

Sigyn smiled and nodded to Thor and Jane and then looked toward Darcy.

Blue eyes met the greenish brown, the two girls had nothing in common.

More to Come! (Next Up: Surtur comes after the party, seeking the casket.)

Please review! It would mean loads to me!