Meg dodged the first few blows easily. Loki's strength may have been increased, but it was obvious he wasn't as swift or as agile as Meg. He lunged and Meg would meet it. At one point, the point of his sword caught her long sleeve and tore it, leaving her arm bare. Luckily, it didn't pierce the skin, poisoning her blood stream. Their combat continued for what seemed like hours, meeting blow after blow. Countering each others attacks. Meg could feel her muscles ache and cramp. Her arms hummed like a tuning fork with every break on her dagger. Every strike decreased her strength, while Loki's remained steady. Getting quite bored with the same combat, he threw her down, landing on her back she exhaled a grunt. Springing like a rabbit from it's hole, he pounced, hanging over her, trying to press the blade's deadly tip into her throat. She held him back with all that she had left. Looking for a way out, she brought up her knee and kicked hard, in the place she knew she'd get the best outcome. Eyes bulging like goose eggs, Loki squawked in pain. Meg rolled out from underneath him as he crumpled to his knees, waiting for the pain to subside. Meg needed to come up with a plan and fast, so she sought for higher ground. She found a small crawl space in the mountainside and slipped deep within its quarters. Her lungs heaved for oxygen, her muscles shook.
'I can't keep this up', she admitted to herself. 'I...just...can't.' she panted with each breath. And what's more, she couldn't even help her friends. She had to deal with Loki. Ragnarok truly was the end. Feeling a heavy bearing of despair, the tears overwhelming her Violet eyes, she hugged her knees to her chest and wept quietly. She was on her own.
"Megara", a female voice called to her, like an echo off the highest peak. But, there was no one around. She supposed it was normal to start hearing things during a total break-down.
"Megara", she called again. The voice was somehow so familiar, like a memory she'd kept hidden in the back of her mind. Suddenly, it hit her! Causing the flow of tears to increase. "Mother?"
"Yes my beloved child, I'm here. We've always been with you."
Meg felt flustered. "But...how?" She wondered. "Why...?"
"Never mind that, you must listen, you were never meant to die. Save Asgard Megara! Not for yourself, but for those you love and cherish."
Meg bowed her head, hating to admit defeat. "I can't, he's already won."
"NO!" Brynhild insisted. "You CAN conquer this foe! Do not fear, I am with you."
"I am with you as well", added a male voice. "When the opportunity arises, you must act!" The voices fell silent.
Meg shivered, and not because of the cold. She didn't feel any stronger but she felt her confidence grow and swell.
Meg could hear the soft crunch of Loki's footsteps in the snow outside.
"Where are you hiding, little girl?"
Meg's whole body tensed, increasing the fatigue in her body.
"It's not as if you can escape your fate. It's already been decided."
Meg struggled to her feet and emerged from the cave. She couldn't just wait for him to finish her, trapped where she was.
"There you are!"
Loki had spotted her. She forced her legs to move and headed toward the upper most peak. When she arrived at the top, coming over the rise, she leaned over and panted, her hands grasping her knees for balance. Feeling a warm sensation upon her cheeks, she looked up and saw a cloud break, revealing the sky underneath. A small pillar of sunshine was peaking through the fluffy formations.' Brain storm!' She waited for Loki to catch up, but not for long.
He appeared, a wicked grin spreading across the length of his face. "That's right, no where else to hide", he gloated.
'Just a little closer', Meg pleaded inwardly. Anxious. Unsure if this would actually work.
"Don't fret little one. I'll make it quick. Whoever said I didn't have a heart?" He came forward to close the gap between them. 'NOW!' She thought. Acting swiftly, she brought up her dagger to catch the glare of the sun, which she directed right into Loki's eyes. He grunted annoyingly and brought up his hands to shield his eyes. That was all the time Meg needed, she shot up her leg and knocked The Skadi out of Loki's hands.
"NO!" He shrieked.
The weapon landed with a soft 'puff' in the snow. Meg dove and slid to get her hands on it first. Loki dived after her and landed on top of her body. As Meg struggled to reach the blade first, Loki held her back, trying to retrieve it himself. Annoyed, Meg finally swung her elbow back, hitting him in the face. He grunted and fell back. She stretched out her hand the last few inches and grasped the hilt. Loki recovered and was coming after her with enraged anger flaring in his glowing eyes. Meg fell backward, closed her eyes, and held the blade's point out, hoping for the best. Meg felt his body weight fall on top of her as he tackled her. For what seemed like an eternity, all was eerily quiet. As Meg laid still beneath him, she felt a trickle of warm liquid race down her hands and arms. She cautiously opened her eyes and beheld the frozen look of shock on Loki's face. His blood, the golden blood of the Gods, was spilling lazily into the snow. Meg brought up her legs and shoved him clean off the blade. He staggered back, examining his wound. He then made a terrible gurgling sound, as if he were drowning. His legs gave out underneath him, unable to function anymore, and fell back. Meg stood over him and heard him utter his last words; "Y...yo...you're...no...not so...lit...litt...little...any...anymore", he gasped. His head fell to his side, lifeless. His molecules dissolved and disintegrated into the atmosphere, slowly disappearing until there was nothing left remaining except the blood that stained the snow. Loki, the trickster god, was dead. Meg's hand fell limp and dropped The Skadi at her side. Out of utter exhaustion, she collapsed onto the snow. Grief and devastation overcame her, knowing she didn't have the power or strength left to rescue her friends. That was the last thing she remembered until...
The battle seemed one sided. Nobody was gaining the upper hand. The giant's weapons cut through the God's weapons easily. Then, a moment hit when Hercules was able to bring down a giant. Something had changed to make the enemy's weapons vulnerable to their attacks. Once this was realized, their foes could be defeated! When the battle was won, everyone embraced and cheered with jubilation, except Herc. For him, the nightmare wasn't over. Somewhere, the battle raged on.
Meg found herself in a large meadow, blanketed with colorful wildflowers and fields of grass. The fragrance was overpowering. It filled Meg's spirit with a calm essence that made her feel at peace. In the faint distance there rose a hill. Squinting, she could make out two personages standing together, hand-in-hand, on the peak. She had no doubt of their identities. She ran to meet those whom she'd thought were forever lost. Sigard and Brynhild smiled proudly at their daughter. Brynhild took Meg's hands and lovingly brushed her hair from her face.
"You were so brave dear", she declared. "The prophesy is fulfilled."
But her words brought little comfort. Meg frowned and shamefully bowed her head. "But...I couldn't save them", she mourned. "The only person I saved...was myself."
Sigard shook his head. "No love. Don't you realize? Once Loki expelled his last breath, all of his creations died along with him. His influence on the giants was dispelled."
Brynhild nodded at her husband's words. "Everyone is alive and well."
Meg felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she smiled through her tears, though they being tears of overwhelming joy and relief. Brynhild lightly placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead.
Sigard placed a hand on her cheek. "Live long and happy." His words echoed as they both faded in the blinding sunlight. "Meg, wake up!"