14

Illumination

Loki woke refreshed and relaxed as he moved the covers back and Axelle crawled onto his lap.

"Good morning," he said, rubbing the kitten under her chin and she purred.

"Good morning, My Prince," Ravn replied as he entered the room and Loki smiled.

"I was talking to my cat."

"I know. Just saying good morning."

"Same to you," he said while he got up and Axelle hopped onto Loki's shoulder. He headed for the bathroom as he closed the door and Ravn went to set out Loki's clothes.

"How did you sleep last night?" Ravin called out as he smoothed down Loki's white tunic with gold and green trim.

"I slept very well."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"So am I," he whispered and scratched the kitten behind her ear.

"How did the meeting go?"

"It went very well," Loki said and he told Ravn about what he had learned to do if he had another attack. A short time later, Loki walked out of the bathroom and Ravn helped him dress.

"Are you going to see Lady Viva today?"

"Yes, I have a session with her after breakfast," he said and Axelle jumped into his arms.

Nodding, Ravn allowed Loki to precede him from the room. Ravn noticed how Loki looked at the servants and guards as they walked by and Loki nodded to some of them.

"I am not blind, you know," Loki finally said and Ravn frowned.

"My Prince?"

"I have been the subject of palace gossip enough to know the signs."

"No one..."

"Servants talk, Ravn."

"Even if they do gossip, they know better than to speak slander against you."

"You're right," he said as they went around the corner and through the double doors to the Feasting Hall.

The Feasting Hall was crowded but Loki saw Tyr waving for him to join the Phoenixes and Ravn walked off to go eat with some of his friends. Loki sat beside the general and Tyr gave him a plate, which he filled with crispy potatoes, over which he put eggs, sausage, and a creamy pepper sauce. That plus a hot buttered piece of bread was his breakfast that morning.

Loki noted that Tyr had almost the same kind of breakfast on his plate, and was using his prosthetic arm and hand to eat it with. He had seen for himself that the prosthetic looked very like a real arm, and it bent and held things also, though not with the same dexterity as a real one.

Tyr noticed Loki looking at the prosthetic and he smiled.

"I still feel it sometimes. My arm. The healers say it's called a ghost limb," Tyr said.

Loki wondered how he had lost it, if it had been in combat before he was captured, or afterwards. But he didn't want to be rude or open old wounds by asking.

"How did you sleep last night?" Tyr asked, sipping on some coffee.

"I slept very well," Loki said.

"That's good. Shows that you are healing. I had nightmares for months after I returned home."

"How did you handle them?"

"I would talk about them with my wife or wrote them down."

"Viva gave me a dream journal."

"Have you been using it?"

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"If it helps, I didn't sleep beside my wife in the beginning, because the first time I had a nightmare I almost choked her." Tyr recalled.

Loki's eyes slightly widened and Tyr shrugged a shoulder.

"She has been very understanding. So have my daughters."

"I saw one of your daughters here at the hall the other day."

"Ah, that would be Sigyn."

Loki nodded as he ate some eggs and Tyr sipped his coffee.

"She asked about you," Tyr said.

"She did?"

"Yes, she asked how you were doing and I told her you were recovering."

"Tell her I appreciate her asking about my welfare," he said and Tyr nodded.

A servant walked to the table when he handed Tyr a note and he opened the piece of paper. Loki noticed the look in the General's eyes as he nodded and handed the note back to the servant.

"I beg your leave, My Prince. It appears one of my men is having an episode and I need to help calm him down," Tyr said, standing.

"Do you need Lady Viva's assistance?" Loki said, standing.

"No, I can handle this."

Nodding, Loki sat back down as he watched Tyr leave the room and he placed his chin in the palm of his hand.

After breakfast, Loki walked down the hallway while Axelle sat on his shoulder and he headed for Viva's office. Tyr had returned and told him the man who had the episode was going to be fine. Loki was impressed with how Tyr and his men took care of each other and he silently wished for friends like that.

You do have friends like that. Ravn and Lady Viva, he thought and he stood in front of the door to her office.

"Come in, Loki," he heard her call.

He opened the door and entered. "How did you know I was there?"

She smiled at him from the couch. "I could feel your presence. It was like a warm ray of sunlight."

"Ah," he said as he walked to the couch and Axelle hopped off his shoulder.

"I heard one of General Tyr's men had an episode this morning."

"Yes, I asked if he wanted you to help him, but he said he could handle it."

"Usually he can," she said without rancor. "I taught him some techniques once he had healed enough from his own trauma to help others that served with him. He said he felt responsible for them and wanted to help them as best he could."

Nodding, Loki sat down and she went to sit down next to him.

"What do you wish to do today? We could paint."

He perked up at that. "Speaking of painting . . . have you finished the one you were working on?"

"How did you know I was working on a new painting?"

"You told me, don't you remember? And I asked you if I could see it when you were finished."

"It is finished."

They stood to go look at the painting and Loki placed his hands behind his back.

Once again his attention was caught by the blanket lying over the cradle. "This scene . . .was it one you remember or one that you imagined?"

"It is one that I remember. Why do you ask?"

"Because the blanket in the painting looks remarkably like the one that I was found with as a baby." Loki admitted. "Only mine was an ice blue color with green and gold and black circles and wolves on it. My mother says the pattern is Vanir in origin."

"Do you still have the blanket?"

"Yes. Would you like to see it?"

"Yes."

She watched him vanish in a puff of green smoke then reappear a few seconds later and he had the blanket in his hands.

He held his hands out as she carefully took the blanket and looked at the designs stitched in the fabric.

"You are right. This is Vanir."

"But my name appears to have been added later." He pointed at the Jotun runes that spelled Loki.

"Perhaps your blanket was made by a grandmother or aunt." Viva mused. "They wouldn't have known your name until later."

"True, but it is still odd that the blankets look alike," Loki said, looking at the painting.

"Not really. It is a common pattern, I believe."

Nodding, he watched her place the blanket on a chair and Axelle immediately hopped onto the blanket.

"Not again," he teased and lifted the kitten off the blanket. "She appears to like sleeping on it."

"It is soft and probably smells like you," Viva giggled. "Kiva likes to sleep on my laundry after it has been folded."

"Must be a cat thing," he said, scratched the kitten's chin and Axelle purred.

"We always had cats in our house when I was growing up. At least two or more. Mama adored them. She said a house was not a home without one or more cats."

"I agree. My mother said she had cats in her house while she was growing up."

Viva grinned. "It seems our mothers have a lot in common." She drew Loki towards the table. "Shall we paint for a bit?"

"I would like that," he said. They sat down at the table and Loki placed the kitten on the floor. "What should we paint?"

"Whatever you wish. Let your heart tell you." The Mind Healer replied. She summoned everything they needed.

Loki looked at the blank page when he picked up a brush then he started painting. He let his mind and heart guide his hand while the brush moved over the page and Viva smiled at the sight of his tongue sticking out between his teeth.

"Do you always do that?"

"Do what?" he asked, reaching over to put some more blue on the brush.

"Stick your tongue out between your teeth while you are concentrating?"

"Uh, yes, I do. It's a habit I've been doing since I was a child."

"I thought I was the only one who did that," she declared. "Though usually I only do it while reading or painting something difficult."

Viva picked up a brush.

She began to paint some woodland animals by a stream.

He glanced over at her painting then he looked at his painting and he had painted two hawks flying through a blue sky. One had dark feathers and the other had white feathers. They were flying one above the other and both looked happy.

He sat back as he smiled and Viva looked at his painting.

"That is excellent! Can you tell me what it means?"

"I think it's about freedom."

"Freedom?"

"Yes. I feel like I will someday be free from all this and I will soar above the pain and fear."

"Why are there two hawks?"

"The white one is hope. As long as I have it, there is nothing I cannot do."

"That is so. Hope and love heal the broken spirit and mind," she quoted softly.

Loki blinked, startled. "Where did you hear that saying?"

"It's a quote from Mind Healer Serran, one of the founders of my order. He was one of the first to put his Gifts to this type of career, and help people free themselves from pain, guilt, and the silent terrors we create within ourselves. Why do you ask?"

Loki shook his head. "I don't really know. I just remember hearing it before." He waved a hand. "It doesn't really matter. But I agree with you."

"Serran was very wise. He is still revered by the Mind Healers today." Viva said quietly.

"I can understand why," Loki said. He began painting another picture, this one of Axelle.

Viva began to paint a snow falcon on a branch, its detail so striking Loki stopped painting to stare at it. "That is amazing!" he exclaimed. "It looks like it could fly off the paper. Where did you learn to paint like that?"

Viva shrugged, embarrassed. "I always liked to sketch. Mama hired a local artist to show me how to use colors and techniques when I was eight and after three years he said I had learned all he could teach me and I just continued on my own. Mama could paint watercolors and liked to paint flowers and sunrises and sunsets. And cats. I have some of her work at my house."

She smiled reminiscently. "I used to watch the snow falcons flying from the front yard in the house I grew up in."

Loki nodded as he picked up a brush and started painting. He painted a little baby with blue skin and red eyes covered in a baby blanket and the baby was sucking on his fingers. He was careful while painting the baby's face and Viva noticed the baby seemed to be a little upset.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"It's supposed to be me," Loki said, placing the brush down.

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm missing someone."

"Your brother?"

"I think so. Even though he was older than I, he would sneak in and sleep in my cradle. Mother told me I would wake up and cry if she tried to move him."

Viva nodded when she noticed how Baby Loki was wrapped in the baby blanket and she sighed.

"Why didn't you paint your clan markings on the baby's face?"

"I forgot," he said, picking up the brush.

Viva thought that if Loki had been raised Jotun he never would have forgotten his clan markings because to a Frost Giant those markings were an integral part of how they saw themselves. But she said nothing. Perhaps he didn't wish to recall that part of himself since his father had abandoned him to die.

He placed the brush down as he examined the painting then he sat back in the chair.

"That looks great! What do you want to do now?" Viva asked.

"I would like to do another dream journey," Loki said.

"Why?"

"I want to fight my fear of the dark. I haven't been afraid of it since I was a child. If I defeat that demon, maybe I can sleep with the lights off."

"All right."

She prepared them for the journey by using some of the meditation exercises Tyr had shown to Loki, putting them both in a semi-sleeping state, then had Loki lie on the couch while she sat in the chair. "Ready?"

"Ready."

She put her hands on his temples and sent him to sleep with a gentle pulse of her magic. Then she closed her eyes and followed him.

Once within his dreamscape, she shifted into the frost-blue knight again.

The darkness surrounded them, eerie and cold, impenetrable as the Void. Loki took a deep breath and he felt his heart thumping hard in his chest.

"Ready?" Viva asked.

"Ready," he said with a nod and they stepped into the darkness. They heard voices whispering as Loki glanced around and Viva drew her sword.

"Hello, Little Ssssssssoul."

"You have nothing to fear."

"We will not hurt you."

"Much."

Viva spun around when something brushed by her and red eyes appeared in the darkness.

"Show yourself!" she shouted, but the hissing laughter echoed around her.

"We are showing ourssssselvessss."

Loki felt the icy coldness of the dark as he felt someone pulling on him and he spun around, trying to find where it was.

"I am not afraid of you!" Loki shouted.

"Yessssss, you are!"

They walked onward as ghostly phantasms pulled at them, shoved them, and scratched at them. Viva swung her sword into the nothingness, trying to sense where they were, but her mind senses were dulled, as if muffled by a fog.

"You cannot harm what you cannot sssssssee!" the voices giggled maniacally.

"What I cannot see?" Loki whispered when something clicked in his head.

"What is in the dark is what was there in the light. Once you understand that, you will not be afraid," Frigga had told him when he was younger and he formed a ball of bright light in the palm of his hand.

"What are you doing, Little Sssssssoul?!"

"I am shedding some light on things," Loki answered, the light growing brighter and brighter.

"No!"

"Ssssssstop!"

"Not the light!"

The light blazed from his hand and suddenly clots of shadows dropped over him and Viva.

"Loki!" she called out as the darkness spread over him and the last thing she saw was his emerald green eyes. The hissing laughter echoed around her as she hacked at the darkness and she growled.

"He issssss ourssss now!"

"No, he is not!"

Claws scrabbled at her, plucking at her armor, and she slashed down at them, but encountered only empty air. Mocking laughter echoed about her. She hissed a swear word in Vanir. Suddenly the shadows howled in agony and she grinned.

"So, you can be harmed."

"Make him sssssstop!"

"It burnsssssss!"

Viva watched as the darkness started growing brighter and she blinked. The shadows exploded into brilliant light and she covered her eyes with her hand.

"You do not control me! Not anymore!" Loki's voice echoed while the bright light flared and screams filled the air. She could just see a figure in the light. It slowly moved towards her and Loki smiled at her. Suddenly, the shadows regrouped and surrounded them as they stood in a spot of bright light. Loki sighed, rolling his eyes.

"You can never defeat ussss!"

Loki closed his right hand into a fist while Viva took hold of his left hand and he felt a wave of confidence move through him.

"Wrong," he snarled and the bright light flared. Screams echoed around them. Loki smirked coldly as Viva lightly squeezed his hand. The darkness faded as a sense of peace flowed through him and he looked at her. "Well, that was easy."

"I guess you weren't as afraid of the dark as you thought you were," she teased and he laughed.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. The darkness still plays a big part in what happened. The darkness of the Void was eternal. They kept me in the darkness while I was in my cell and I had no idea of who or what was in the darkness."

"But now you know how to fight it."

"You're right."

"Do you wish to wake up now?"

"No," Loki said. "Not yet. Follow me." She had no idea where they were going when they came to what appeared to be an iron door and Loki kicked the door open. They gazed into the darkness when he formed a ball of light in his right hand and he walked into the room. Viva saw the black stone walls, floor, and ceiling and something was sitting in the corner. Whoever it was had on tattered rags and his feet were bare. She could see dried blood on his feet and his dark hair was hanging over his face.

"Is that...?" she asked and he nodded. Loki carefully walked over and knelt, reaching out a hand. The dream Loki snapped his head up, staring in shock, and Viva saw the horror in those emerald green eyes.

"It's all right. You can come out now," Loki said in a reassuring voice. He helped the other Loki to his feet and they approached Viva, who held out her arms.

"Who...? Who are you?" the other Loki asked.

"I am a friend," she said and she sent comfort and peace into him.

"And I can leave?"

"Yes, you no longer need to fear the dark."

"You look like a Frost Giant."

"Would you like to see the real me?"

"Yes," he said and she changed into her normal form. He blinked his eyes a few times then smiled tentatively and she held her hand out. The imprisoned Loki clasped it in his own. They helped the other Loki out of the cell into the light and he squinted his eyes. Slowly, he walked away from them then turned and he held his arms out to his side. With a bow, he vanished and Loki looked at Viva.

"Mission accomplished," he said to the Mind Healer. "Now I can wake."

Viva moved her hands away as Loki opened his eyes and he sat up.

"How do you feel?" she asked. Axelle sprang upon the couch and sat on Loki's lap.

"Much better. Like a great weight has been lifted from me," he replied. His hands petted his kitten.

"I am happy to hear it," Viva said, her bi-colored eyes shimmering. "Try sleeping tonight with the lamp off and see how you do."

"I shall." Loki agreed, hoping that endeavor would be a success.

That night, he read before starting to fall asleep, and then he waved his hand and turned the lamp off with his magic. The only light in the room came from the moon and stars shining through the curtains from the balcony doors and the window.

He listened to Axelle purr in his ear before he sank into slumber.

When he opened his eyes again the sun was shining brightly and he grinned at the sight. It appeared a new day had dawned at last, and he had conquered his fear of the dark.

Things could only get better from here, he thought. Indeed, his recovery seemed assured after that hurdle had been leaped. He continued to improve, his night terrors seemed vanquished and he slept and woke refreshed. His mood improved until he felt nearly like the Loki of old, the one he had thought dead and buried in that cell on Titan. He continued to meet with Viva but the sessions were more of a mood enhancing therapy, and on the occasions he felt triggered, he used his diffuser and his meditation techniques to fight off the panic attacks.

His family had begun to hope that he was free of the crippling terror and pain that had haunted him. A week passed, then another, and by the third week he had begun to regain most of his old confidence and be seen more and more in public, both with his Phoenix friends, Viva, and Thor.

Friday dawned sunny as Loki headed for the sparring arena and Axelle sat on his shoulder. She had grown a little over the weeks and she kept a paw on top of his head for balance.

"Brother!" Thor greeted him as Loki entered. He gave his brother a smile and quickened his pace.

"Good morning,"Loki said with a nod and Axelle leaped off his shoulder. Thor leaned down to scratch the cat's head then he stood up.

"Do you feel like doing a little sparring?"

"I would like that."

Thor lightly patted his little brother's back as they walked to the weapons rack and Loki picked up the battle staff. They walked to the middle of the sparring circle and faced each other. Loki thumped the end of the battle staff on the ground.

Nodding, Thor got into battle stance as Loki lunged at him, his staff meeting Thor's with a loud clack. Back and forth they sparred, their staves cracking together sharply, but neither would give ground. Loki swung the staff low, and hooked it around Thor's leg and he pulled. Thor hit the ground, and grunted sharply.

Loki peered down at him. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"Well played," Thor said. Taking his hand, Loki helped his older brother to his feet when they heard applause and turned to see Viva watching from the sidelines.

"That was amazing," she praised and Loki gave her a little bow.

"You should see us when we're really trying," Thor teased.

"Shall we show her the Tornado Twist?" Loki asked.

"And what is that?" Viva asked.

"You'll see," Thor said and Loki went to get a battle mace and a war hammer. Viva went to sit on the bench as Thor and Loki faced each other and Thor nodded. Raising the battle mace over his head, Loki charged at Thor, but Thor twirled the war hammer around in large circles and the wind blew dust into the air like a mini tornado. He hadn't realized he had spun the war hammer too hard when he released the power of the wind and Loki went sailing through the air.

"Loki!" Viva cried as Loki hit the ground hard and they ran to him. His eyes went in and out of focus as he felt his head swim, then as blackness encroached, he shut his eyes.

"Fetch a healer!" Thor called out to one of the groundskeepers as the man ran off and Viva checked Loki's vitals. "Is he still breathing?!"

"Yes," she said and she gently took Loki's head in her hands. "Loki, can you hear me?"

"I... I didn't mean to hurt him."

"My Prince, I assure you he knows that," she reassured him when Loki moaned and she felt fear surging through the ebony-haired prince.

"What's wrong?" Thor asked. worriedly

"I don't know," she said and Loki started shaking.

Loki was no longer in the battle circle. He was in his cell and the door opened. He heard familiar footsteps as Ebony Maw entered and the alien psychic smiled at him.

"Get to your feet," Maw ordered and Loki slowly rose to his feet. "Follow me."

Maw led him down the hallway until they came to Maw's lab and the doors hissed open. He led Loki to the center of the room when Maw pointed towards the platform in the center of the room and Loki slowly walked onto the platform. Maw stood at the control panel when he started pushing buttons then he looked at Loki.

"Now, one more time. Where is the Tesseract?"

"I am not going to tell you," Loki said. Maw shook his head as he tutted then he pushed the button. A blast of air slammed into Loki as he went flying then he hit the force field which surrounded the platform.

Loki climbed back to his feet walking back to the center of the platform and Maw sighed.

"Where?! Is?! The?! Tesseract?!" he said, pushing the button and a blast of air slammed Loki into the force field with each word. Loki staggered to his feet when a loud booming sound filled the air and he fell to his knees. The concussion blast caused his ears to ring as Loki placed his hands over his ears, screaming in agony.

Thor noticed the horrified look on Viva's face as she felt all of Loki's fear and pain. Loki began gasping for air. His face was covered in sweat and he felt his heart thundering in his chest. He had tried to wake up, but his head hurt and he realized he was having a panic attack.

Viva fished inside a pocket of her tunic and pulled out a purple diffuser, this one was stronger than the orange one. "Loki, breathe this!" She ordered calmly and held it beneath his nose.

Loki fought to breathe as the panic rose and his heart slammed harder.

He managed to breathe in some of the lavender and eucalyptus scented mist.

"That's it. Just breathe," she whispered and Loki groaned.

"Brother, I am so sorry," Thor said, taking Loki's hands in his.

"Loki," Frigga called out and she and Odin arrived and she ran to kneel next to Loki.

"Heimdall told us what happened," Odin said.

"Father, I didn't mean to hurt him," Thor began, guilt and regret written all over his features.

"I understand," his father replied with a nod then turned to Viva. "How is he doing?"

Viva did not respond for a moment, as she was projecting calmness and relaxation into Loki's mind.

One of Loki's hands came up to grip Viva's.

She took his hand as his eyes opened, but his vision was blurry. His eyes moved to look at her while the healers arrived, but Viva held up a hand to stop them.

"Loki, can you hear me?" Viva queried.

"Yes," he said in a soft voice.

"Loki..." Thor said and he moved his eyes to look at his brother.

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop acting so guilty."

"But I..."

"Miscalculated the power of the wind. Not the first time." Loki said with a grin and Thor nodded.

"Then you forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive yourself," Loki murmured.

Thor sighed heavily. "I will try."

"We need to talk about what happened, but, first, we need to get you to the infirmary," Viva said firmly, and Loki glanced over at her, sighing.

"She's right, dear," Frigga said and he looked at her.

"Yes, Mother," he acquiesced and she brushed the hair out of his eyes.

Viva and his concerned family moved away as the healers examined Loki, finding he had a bump on his head and they placed a soft foam collar around his neck then he was levitated onto the hover stretcher and it floated out of the arena to the infirmary with the rest of them following.

Once in the infirmary, Healer Eir had Loki put in a diagnostic bed and after reading the results, declared the prince needed a night of observation for his slight concussion and gave him some pain medication and something to relax him and help him sleep.

After bringing Loki to a private room, and posting guards at the door, Thor told his parents he wished to stay and keep vigil in case Loki needed him.

Frigga eyed him askance, knowing that was an excuse. "You shouldn't blame yourself, Thor. It was an accident."

"I should have watched my control," her eldest sighed. "But I forgot I wasn't wielding Mjolnir."

"Very well, dear," Frigga patted Thor's shoulder. "Stay if you like."

Just then Axelle came and sprang up onto the bed, and curled up next to Loki, purring loudly.

"It looks like Axelle will keep you company." Viva said softly.

"If anything changes, inform me immediately," Odin ordered.

Thor nodded and then they departed, leaving the Thunder God alone with his slumbering brother.

Thor reached out and held Loki's hand, murmuring, "Get well soon, Brother." Then he blinked back tears, because he feared this injury would hinder Loki's recovery, and his brother had been doing so well until now.

Thor leaned his head back against the wall, and soon the only sounds in the room were the kitten purring, Loki's soft breathing, and soon afterwards Thor snoring.

Twice a nurse came and checked Loki's vitals, but the prince did not stir.

Thor woke, stretched, and took the blanket and pillow an orderly gave him, then resumed his vigil.

He was just drifting off to sleep again when Loki's scream made him jump awake, the chair crashing against the wall as Thor sprang to his feet.

"Loki!" he cried, taking two steps to the bed, where his brother was whimpering and tossing his head from side to side.

Axelle patted Loki's cheek, meowing pitifully.

Thor gently tapped Loki's shoulder. "Brother, wake up! You're having a nightmare. Loki, it's all right. I'm here."

Abruptly Loki's eyes snapped open, but he gazed at Thor without truly seeing him.

"Get away! He's coming!" Loki cried, panicked.

"Shh! Little Brother, no one is going to hurt you." Thor soothed. "Loki, it's me, Thor."

"Get away!"

"Why? What are you afraid of?"

"Maw," Loki hissed, all the terror in the universe infused into that single name.

"Loki, he's dead." Thor told him.

Suddenly Loki blinked, as Thor's words penetrated the fog surrounding him. "Dead?"

"Yes. Remember? Father killed him."

"Yes . . . I just . . ." he gripped Thor's hand. "Thor . . . I was dreaming . . . I was back there . . ." Loki gulped sharply, shivering.

"It was only a dream. You're safe here in the infirmary," Thor soothed.

Loki sighed softly. Then he grimaced. "My head aches."

Thor nodded and then reached over to give Loki a dissolvable pill. "Rest now, Brother."

Loki nodded slowly. "All right." Then his hand reached out and clasped Thor's. His eyes pleaded mutely with Thor to stay.

"Don't worry. I'm right here," the Thunder God murmured and pulled the chair closer to the bed.

Axelle curled up on Loki's stomach, purring like an engine gone berserk.

Loki drifted off to sleep again as the pain lessened, praying there would be no more nightmares so long as Thor was near. He recalled how Thor used to sit by his bed when he was younger and promise that he would kill all the monsters under Loki's bed and the child Loki believed him utterly and slept soundly.

A slight smile quirked up one side of the Mischief God's mouth as Thor's big hand wrapped about his, and the demon called Maw shrank and faded in the presence of the mighty Thunder God, whose shadow stretched protectively over Loki's, driving away the wicked being for a time.

But that reprieve was only temporary, little did they know.

A/N: Next up: Loki's night terrors worsen, leading to another dream journey to face the worst nightmare of all-Ebony Maw!