oOo

Chapter 14 – Attachments

"Do you think we're safe in here?" Clint panted.

"It's a small and subtle room," Natasha sighed. "It's connected to the only hallway near the balcony. It's far from the commotion and this is most likely the place someone will pass by."

"I'm not convinced."

"It's better than anywhere else," She moved and winced.

"Careful." He pushed her back on the couch. "Your leg's broken."

"I know."

"I'll take first watch."

"Not necessary."

"It is," Clint walked to the door. "There's a gap, look. Light is towards us so we'll know who walks by. We don't have food or water. We came into this place without a plan because we all wanted to be the hero. So let me be yours and let me take first watch."

"Charming," Natasha snickered.

"At one point we're bound to bump into someone."

oOo

"Why is it so cold?" Tony shivered. "I'm freezing."

Loki had no qualms that Tony led him around. It only seemed fair that Tony took the first step since he insisted on moving them away from the giant wall that blocked their path. What Loki did not like was the fact that he was away from Thor again. He thought it was over, but the Norns loved to prove him wrong.

"It feels like winter."

"Stop complaining," Loki mumbled.

"Yeah," Tony countered. "Deal with it."

The hallways were darker this time, the lights were dim and the air was thick and heavy. The walls still painted with blood and angry marks that Tony realized they had walked into a psychiatric ward. There were doors with tiny glass mirrors, some broken, some very dirty and bloody. The psychiatric ward was terrifying and if Tony knew better, it looked like a riot happened. Every object was upturned.

"This is no longer the path we took," Loki voiced.

"It's only one path," Tony pointed out. "Looks like we have to pass through to get to the other side, which I think is unfair for either one of us."

"Do you hear that?"

"Don't scare me like that," He whispered. "Let me check."

Tony was afraid, but he had to act like he wasn't. He was a prideful bastard and he did not want to look weak in front of anyone. He carefully walked forward and peeked to the left and right corridor. Loki stayed behind, eying him suspiciously.

When Tony felt a ghostly touch of cold skin on his exposed shoulder, he jumped in fear and landed on the floor.

"Shit!"

"Oops," Loki innocently said.

Tony looked up to see Loki with a hand over his lips. The young god failed to suppress a smile and immediately gave himself away. Tony frowned as he stood up and dusted himself. At least Loki wasn't going to cry any time soon in his presence, so that was a good thing.

"Stop doing that," Tony scolded.

"I wished to look," Loki said dryly. "Where are we headed?"

"Do you want to go left?"

"Tony."

"How about right?"

"We are lost."

"We're always lost," Tony snorted.

Out of nowhere, Loki's stomach growled. Tony stared at Loki, who fought the burning on his cheeks. The young god looked away and Tony found it hilarious if he hadn't felt the same way. They were both hungry, and he secretly wished he brought a picnic basket.

"It's fine."

"I am hungry," Loki miserably admitted. "And I am completely exhausted."

"I can tell by the way you're limping."

Bad call, Tony.

Loki's face turned bright red and he felt insulted immediately after. Get away from him. His mind told him. Run before he could hurt you. Of course he limped, why wouldn't he? His lower back was still in pain and Tony… he was too close for comfort. He knows too much… Run.

"I'm sorry," Tony said. "That was mean to say."

Loki stayed silent and walked left down the corridor. Tony followed after him as the psychiatric ward dissolved back into the previous scary Asgardian structure. It was still dark and terrifying, so Tony and Loki stayed close.

"Sorry I offended you."

"No," Loki stopped.

"What?"

"It's not your fault," Loki played with his sleeves. "I am well. I just… did not expect you to say it. It did not occur to me that it was obvious I was limping. It's not your fault."

"I heard what Steve and Thor said—"

"Don't."

"About you getting seriously hurt—"

"Tony."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop talking."

"I can't because you and I know this will turn up as a conversation sooner or later," Tony touched Loki's arm but the young god pulled away. "I'm not going to hurt you, okay? Just human here, I'm not whoever it is that hurt you. I saw the marks, and I can put two together. I just want to know if you're fine to keep going."

"I'll recover."

"No, listen to me."

"I beg you, Tony." Loki clutched Thor's cape tighter around himself. "I do not wish to speak of this, I do not want to remember, and I do not even want to think of it. I merely wish to forget. So please, what you may have heard from them, do not say it. I do not want to remember."

"We can't go anywhere with you thinking this way."

Loki bit his lips.

"I don't want to remember."

Tony took Loki's arm and gently guided him to the wall and sat him down on the floor. Tony sat cross-legged by his side and pulled half of Thor's cape around himself. Loki stared at him as they nestled underneath the thick warm cape. Tony thought they looked equivalent to a homeless person given their jaded expression, but he was too tired to care.

"What are you doing?" Loki blinked.

"It's cold." Tony excused.

"You did not ask me if I wanted to share."

"I don't care, I'm comfortable under here." Tony hugged Thor's cape tighter.

"Stark…"

"Don't you dare call me that, Loki. It's Tony, remember?" He huffed. "We're half past formalities. I know you don't want to talk, but we can't move around feeling this way." Broken. "We… we need to talk things through. Have a decent plan."

"Decent plan?"

"Yeah."

"Pray tell, what is your plan?"

"Find the others?"

"That is what we've doing for the past hour." Loki slumped on Tony's shoulders to get the sense of warm he felt from Thor. "I cannot use my Seidr no matter how much I wish to. Yggdrasil is close, but it is far from my reach."

"You're probably over thinking things."

"Perhaps."

"Look kid, enough with the misery." Tony rolled his eyes and decided Loki was probably too exhausted to argue with him. "Remember that time we were stuck together?"

"How could I forget?"

"I told you I was your friend, right?"

"I suppose."

"Do you still deny that we are?"

"Are what?" Loki ignored the idea of it.

"You're making this extremely difficult, you know?"

"You're odd for a mortal." Loki scrunched his face in annoyance. "How am I supposed to consider you?"

"Uh, a friend?"

"You're awfully clingy for one."

"Clingy?"

"You're underneath Thor's cape and alone with me in the middle of the hall." Loki explained. "How can I know that your intentions aren't only to benefit yourself?"

"That's offensive." Tony scowled.

"Well…"

"Don't back that up, Loki. I said I was cold, and I'm only just human. Human's get hypothermia and die from it. I'm freezing and you can live with a little cold. I can't."

"I'm sorry."

"I have no intentions over you whatsoever, Princess. I just want to go back home in my nice warm tower. I'm not here to play games with you. You're scared I get that, but I want you to be safe because that's what friends want each other to be. You've been through a lot. I get that. I know I don't understand half of what you've been through, but you don't have to be distant about it."

"It's complicated."

"Talk to me."

Loki lifted his head and turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Talk to me," Tony insisted. "This hallway is pretty abandoned. We'll hear if anyone comes walking in, so tell me. I know it doesn't help that I'm prying into your life. I hid my pain once from my friends and it tore me up, but it won't help you doing the same."

"Why did you come here, Tony?" Loki said weakly.

"What?"

"Why did you follow Thor?"

"I agreed to help your brother find you because I don't want to sit alone knowing I could have done something to help."

"So here you are." Loki mumbled. "With me."

"I know this is awkward for you."

"You have no idea," Loki chuckled.

"You have nothing to fear from me," He leaned back.

"I can think of something."

"I'm only human, you're you. We established as your new friends that we want to get you out of your comfort zone. We weren't able to do that since Thor brought you back to Asgard, but we want a fresh start with you."

"You truly believe there is one?"

"Why not?"

Loki doesn't want to talk, and Tony understood that. It took time to trust someone, especially if that someone was the genius billionaire scaredy-cat wrapped underneath Thor's Christmas blanket. It was nearly domestic if Tony thought about it. Oh well… no harm no foul. They weren't dead yet, so a bonus point for him and his heroism.

"Will we die here?"

"Geeze, Loki." Tony rolled his eyes. "Thanks for getting my hopes up."

"I try."

"It's getting colder."

Tony blew air out of his mouth and it fogged up. He rubbed his hands together but it felt like the entire place just got worst. They noticed the walls slowly being covered in ice. Tony pulled out of the cape and stood up. He looked around the place and it felt darker for some reason. Ice began to protrude from the walls, ceiling and floor and it dimly glowed a bright blue.

"We need to get out of here." Tony shivered.

"What's happening?"

"Loki?"

"My hand."

Loki lifted his hand and the blue crawled its way up to his arm. He saw the intricate patterns that riddled that part of his body and he immediately felt fear. Loki recalled Laufey and it was not a pleasant memory. Tony walked forward and held Loki's hand together to keep them warm, occasionally rubbing at them.

It turned back to his pale Aesir skin.

"Don't turn blue on me now," He grinned as he pulled Loki up on his feet. "We're leaving."

Loki only nodded.

oOo

"Thor calm down."

"How can I calm down when I know my brother is alone with Stark?" Thor growled as he continued to hit the wall. "Loki is fearful, and Stark is not any better. I trust Stark but they cannot defend themselves."

"You've been hitting this wall for almost two hours."

"I am not going around it."

Thor slammed Mjolnir on the wall and chunks flew around. Steve stayed at the side as he watched Thor desperately trying to get to Loki. Steve still questioned his morals. As much as he tried to get rid of the tough ones, Tony's voice lingered as he watched Thor.

Don't you think I want someone else's life above my own?

Thor panted and struck.

It doesn't mean squat whether we like each other or not!

Thor pulled back.

You're going to convince me that my actions are just because I'm irrational and scared.

"Thor?" Steve said. "What if Tony and Loki aren't behind this wall?"

"What?" Thor stopped.

"What if they left and looked for a different path?"

"We follow them."

Steve stayed silent. You can't stop looking at me without thinking of how weak I am! Steve shook off Tony's words and allowed Thor to drill through the giant wall. If Thor had a hard time penetrating through it, how was he going to help out? His Shield was strong, but he would only get in Thor's way.

So this was how it felt like to be helpless again.

oOo

"Clint?"

"Five more minutes."

"Wake up."

"I'll wake up when breakfast is ready."

SMACK.

"Fuck!" Clint jolted awake. "Did you just hit me with a picture frame?"

"First watch?"

"I knew you were awake."

"Get up!"

"What is it?"

"We've been here for a few hours at least." Natasha sat on the floor. "We need to set up a trap in the hallway. We need to be prepared to kill off and destroy this world for good. Either way, it'll get us out of this rift so we can go home and eat."

"Go out starving, or go out with a bang."

"Precisely."

"What kind of trap?"

"While you dozed off, I found some supplies in the closet."

"Your leg's broken," Clint stood up. "How could you have gotten all the way over there?"

"I'm not dumb."

"Those are ropes."

"Want to tie knots with me?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.

oOo

BANG!

Vadrad heard pounding.

THUD!

He followed the noise and saw Thor, who was very close to destroying the thick wall. Steve's gaze lingered on Thor, but was very absent. Vadrad inwardly chuckled and spun the double edged spear he picked up earlier.

"So this is the original one?" He voiced.

Thor recognized his own voice and spun around. Thor was raging mad. Mjolnir sparked tendrils of lightning and Thor violently shot it above Vadrad. The ceiling collapsed and Vadrad was forced to jump forward. Mjolnir returned to Thor seconds after.

Steve panted. "You sealed us in."

"Not very wise," Vadrad laughed and spun his spear. "So you are the brother I have heard of. You are this image I take after."

"You harmed him."

"I did."

"You made him fear me! No one should ever fear his own brother!"

He nodded.

"I will kill you."

Vadrad grinned and played with the spear in his hand.

"It was so fun, Thor. You did not even know it. You should try it for yourself. It was such an experience, but what am I saying. You're just a boy."

Anger piled inside Thor as Vadrad's smile tightened and curved upward. Mjolnir sparked threateningly as Thor savored the thought of killing the man that broke his brother. This man had his voice and his face, and Thor wanted to destroy him.

"You wish to know what I did to him."

Thor growled.

"It was as if I watched snow for the first time. The little Jotun was perfect, his skin cold and pale. Flawless! It was so smooth and soft, void of any obstructions. He fitted perfectly underneath me."

"Y-you…" Thor trembled in anger.

"You should know." Vadrad smiled. "You've held him."

He chuckled.

"The little Jotun's scent was so wild and his body so easy to tame to my will. It was invigorating and powerful. Like a beacon…"

"Thor he's goading you." Steve stated.

"You think I do not know that?"

"You must thank me, Thor." Vadrad chuckled. "I let the little Jotun know how much his dear brother loved him. He was cold to touch, so beautiful… I've never taken one like him."

"Stop talking."

"Had enough of my words?"

"Is that not obvious, demon?" Thor growled darkly. "Keep talking and I will cut off your tongue."

"Tempting."

"You speak slander and vile words around Loki's name," He trembled with rage, seething in pure blood-lust. "You are a toy to the Mad Titan's whims!"

"Loki was flexible," Vadrad ignored him. "He took me right at the very…Hilt."

Thor had enough.

Vadrad saw light and he was sent flying to the rock. His chest slammed by Mjolnir and electrocuted. Thor panted as Steve watched carefully. Thor lost himself in the moment as he called Mjolnir back to him.

"A challenger…" Vadrad coughed up blood.

"Silence!"

"Do make me!"

"I've had enough of you!"

"I will find him, Thor."

"You—!"

"I will be the first to lay my hands on him."

Thor walked forward and picked him up. Vadrad held his spear tightly as the illusion flickered, showing his true form. Thor pulled him up and threw him at the giant wall. Luckily, the thin concrete exploded and sent Vadrad tumbling.

"Thor, we're in." Steve pointed out.

"Aye."

"What are you doing?"

"Killing."

Thor raised Mjolnir and shot lightning at the giant hole. Lightning wildly shot everywhere as Thor mustered his strength to kill the man. Good thing Steve stopped him before he could waste more energy. Thor pushed Steve away and walked to where Loki and Tony had been.

There were no signs of them.

Nor the imposter.

"Vile creature," Thor clenched his fists.

"He didn't get far, and neither could Tony and Loki." Steve breathed.

"He is after my brother."

"All the more reason to keep moving."

"Aye."

"It's cold in here."

Thor ignored him and walked forward. Thor saw a lot of fresh blood on the floor and figured it was Vadrad's. So Thor followed it. Steve followed as they went to search for Tony and Loki. For Thor, meeting up with Vadrad and killing him would be a blessing in disguise.

oOo

Tony was freezing, even with Loki sharing Thor's cape, it wasn't enough. He felt sick and messed up. He looked almost blue and dead. Tony couldn't move anymore. His legs stiffly followed him where he went and he became a burden to Loki. His fingers had stopped working and his brain ceased to function properly.

"I can't do this." He shivered.

"We need to keep moving, Tony."

"I can't move."

"Tony."

"D-don't m-make me move." He stuttered. "C-cold."

The place was covered in ice, and the wind came from nowhere. They looked like they were in an icy tunnel. It would have been pitch black had it not been for the protruding ice that dimly glowed. Loki pulled them to a small corner and sat Tony there. He took off Thor's cape and wrapped it around Tony.

"Do not die on me." Loki whispered.

"W-wouldn't w-want to lea-leave you alone, Lo." Tony shivered. "T-there n-no way out?"

"I could search."

"O-okay."

Loki half wished that Tony said no. Loki did not want to walk alone and he did not want to part with Thor's cape, but he had no choice. Loki walked forward and wished he hadn't left Tony in the corner, but it was necessary. He turned to the left first, but it only brought him deeper into more hallways, so he went back and turned right instead, but it the hallway was broken.

"Oh Norns," Loki mumbled.

The entire hall was no longer there.

The next floor was a layer down with mountains of snow and ice. It reminded Loki of Jotunheim. He saw the hallway from the other side. Loki figured they could go down the edge and travel to the other side. Getting up would be a problem. Or they could travel the very narrow platforms that eased itself all the way to the other side, but one has to have knowledge about climbing. And Loki did not think Tony can move that well in snow. That wasn't Loki's main concern. It was the Frost Giants lurking around that made it harder to move.

Loki immediately walked back to Tony.

"H-hey," Tony trembled. "G-glad y-you d-didn't leave me."

"Are you well?"

"Peachy."

"You seem cozier?"

"The breeze stopped, got a slightly bit warmer." He clutched the cloak. "W-what did you see?"

Loki knelt by him. "We have a problem."

"Great."

"The left hallway led to a maze. The right hallway connecting this one is on the other side, down a floor."

"C-cliff?"

"Not truly," Loki felt sorry for Tony. "We could go down and walk from there, then get up to the other side where it's warmer. The other hallway seemed colder for you, and it would not do well to leave you in such a position."

"G-goodie."

"But I do not advice going down."

"Why?"

"The Jotnar are nearby."

"Jo-what?"

"My kind, blue giants," Loki had no other way to put it. "There are quite a few. W-we can sneak around, but it would be hard. Can you walk?"

"Yeah." He shivered.

Suddenly the ground started to move, but it took time. Tony plopped back down on the snow and tried to assess the situation. Loki stood up and tried to feel what it was. He tilted his head in confusion and turned to Tony.

"Do you want me to find out?"

"Is that okay with you?" Tony wondered.

Loki merely shrugged and left. He carefully walked down the corridor and peeked at the corner where the broken hallway was. His eyes widened when he saw a Frost Giant standing over the edge and another one climbing on top. Loki covered his mouth and quickly made his way to Tony and nearly slipped on the ice.

"Whoa," Tony said. "Careful."

"We need to go."

"What's the rush?"

"They're coming over here."

Loki pulled Tony to his feet. The tremor got louder and when Tony and Loki walked forward, they saw the shadow of the two Frost Giants at the corner.

"What do we d-do?" Tony whispered.

"Perhaps we should go back?" Loki wasn't ready to face them again. "We walk back?"

"Not a safe option."

Loki had to push Tony to the corner of the concrete pillar to hide them as Loki tried to channel his Seidr. Loki was desperate. He started to mutter in Asgardian while Tony blushed in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"Hush," Loki scolded.

Loki tried to reach for his magic, but it went wrong along the way as he tried. He tried to think of Thor, his mother and his family. But when it turned to a sour thought about Odin, his Seidr wildly released itself and burst green flames around them.

"Shit." Tony cursed.

"Oh dear," Loki slumped towards Tony in exhaustion.

"I think they know were here."

The Frost Giants yelled and there was movement everywhere. Loki pushed himself off Tony and looked at the corner. He saw the Frost walking towards them. Loki frantically tried to think of something. He pushed Tony down on the snow. Tony was about to protest, but Loki settled between Tony's legs and looped his arms around the mortal.

"Please work, please work," Loki thought.

An innocent action from Loki was a very strange awkward one for Tony.

Loki pressed himself closer to Tony and buried his face on the mortal's neck. Loki continued to concentrate his Seidr enough to save them. Tony watched as the Frost Giants slipped past them one by one without seeing them. Tony watched in amazement. The Frost Giants stayed nearby, but they paid no attention to them.

"What did you do?" Tony whispered.

They stayed like that for a few minutes and the Frost Giants dwindled in number. The first two giants stayed behind and continued to patrol the place.

"I feel a warmer now," Tony muttered. "We could sneak by."

Silence.

"Loki?"

Tony felt Loki's cool breath tickle his neck, and soon, Tony felt Loki trembling on top of him. Tony moved an arm to Loki's back to hoist him up a little.

Loki panted in exhaustion.

"You okay?"

"N-no," Loki groaned. "I'm too tired to continue cloaking us."

"What?" He whispered.

"I'm sorry, Tony."

Loki's magic burst energy that sent the nearest Frost Giant tumbling to a wall. Loki collapsed and Tony supported Loki's entire weight on the ground. The second Frost Giant saw them and raised his weapon. Tony pulled Loki up and began to run. Loki managed to follow Tony without tripping. Tony was still freezing, but his feet knew when to run.

"Loki!" He pulled.

Loki raised his hand and shot a green flame at one of them. Loki's knees trembled and he collapsed backward. Tony caught him and pulled him to another run. They fell to the edge of the hallway and slid down the snow to the next floor.

"I should not try that stunt again," Loki groaned. "It is eating at my reserves."

"LOKI!"

Loki looked up to see Tony being picked up by one of the Frost Giants. Tony was lifted by his two arms and Tony came face to face with the creature.

"Nice Giant," Tony said.

"Feel that mortal," The Jotun sneered. "The slow burning of your flesh?"

"Tony!" Loki shouted.

Loki was about to help when he was picked up by the waist and thrown to another Giant who threw Loki to the nearest ice. It shattered as Loki hit on impact. Loki collapsed and groaned in pain. Tony thought that was better than being played with.

"Feel it?" The Jotun grinned.

Tony couldn't breathe. The touch was painful. His wrists were burning slowly. He struggled and kicked, but it was useless. Loki blinked the pain away and looked up. He realized these were real Frost Giants, probably recruited by Thanos himself. Tony panicked, the pain got to his brain and he was about to pass out.

"H-help," He croaked.

Tony's eyes dropped, but the last thing he saw was green and the echo of his own name sounded in his ears. Then, the darkness ate him.

oOo

"You hear that?"

"Company," Clint nodded. "Ready to go?"

"We look like terrorists."

"Be ready for me to pick you up so we can run as fast as we can. You can keep shooting at whatever it is we face if it comes to that."

"Got it." Natasha nodded.

"Ready?"

"We don't get paid enough for this."

"Now!"

And they burst out of the room.

oOo

"How did we end up here?" Steve asked.

"Mayhaps we should've taken the other route." Thor grunted and punched the nearest wall. "They could be trapped there for all we know."

"There was ice everywhere."

"We should've broken in."

"Thor, you can't hold yourself responsible for everything."

"I want to be a better brother," Thor grieved his mistakes. "I would do so many things just to see Loki smile again, Captain. I would do what I must. He had been through enough. I do not want him to be miserable."

"I'm just as worried as you are."

"For Stark?"

"Even if he doesn't think I'm his friend, I wouldn't want him put in the same place as Loki. I fear for both of them, Thor. But Tony's smart, and Loki is equally so."

"You think they've gotten through?"

"Maybe," Steve said. "We've lost your look alike, but we can still try and catch up. This place is a maze. So don't blame yourself if we went the wrong way."

"Aye."

They turned to the balcony and the place was a mess. The curtains were torn up, there was rope littered in different places. It just looked very messy. Steve readied his shield while Thor readied Mjolnir. He shot lightning at the end of the hall, but no one reacted. There was only silence. The kept walking, until Steve triggered a rope.

"What the—"

Steve was foot was pulled up to the ceiling and Clint bursts through the door with his arrow pointed at them. Natasha followed behind as she held both her pistols at them as well. Thor raised Mjolnir but immediately stared in confusion.

"I think we caught, Cap." Clint said.

"No kidding," Natasha said.

"Friends?" Thor breathed. "Are you—?"

"Real?" She answered. "What do you think?"

"Give us something you know and we'll decide not to shoot." Clint pulled his bow back. "Now!"

"I left you with Odin," Thor answered. "I had to get to my brother."

"Clint," Natasha began.

"Yeah, I know."

Steve managed to cut the rope and quickly drop down to his feet and pulled the Shield in front of him as Clint shot the arrow. The arrow embedded itself on the shield until Steve picked it up and threw it back at Clint.

"Is this proof enough for you?" Steve panted.

"Sorry," Clint muttered.

"What are you two wearing?"

Natasha and Clint looked at each other. They had ropes around their body and different bandages that came from the ripped curtains. They look like they've been through war. Their clothes were dirty and they were each wounded. Natasha slipped her pistols back at her belt. Clint tucked his arrow back and wore his bow.

"Doesn't matter," Natasha said. "Where's Loki?"

"Yeah, you came after him didn't you?" Clint pointed at Thor.

"I convinced Loki, but…" Thor hesitated. "We came across Rogers, but quickly after a wall decided to force us apart."

"And Stark?" Natasha wondered.

"He was with me before," Steve said. "But now he's with Loki."

"They're stuck with each other again?"

"That's a terrible combination," Clint sighed. "Remember last time?"

"If they both had their heads straight, it's a lethal combination." Steve concluded. "We need a plan, and I'm not up for splitting up again. If something goes wrong, we stick together. It's not up for discussion."

They all agreed.

"How many have we destroyed?" Thor asked. "The ones that hold this place together?"

"We killed two binders." Clint voiced.

"Binders?"

"Souls," Natasha answered.

"Didn't get the memo?" Clint smirked. "Yeah their dead."

"Which ones?" Steve asked.

"Odin and this Natasha look alike."

"What else could be keeping this place together?"

"The one who copies me," Thor spoke quietly as he clenched his fists. "If he recovers, he will keep my face in that illusion of his. I injured him, he managed to evade us. He… my friends… he wants Loki. Be it for Thanos or for himself… either way, we must stop him."

"Do you think there are others?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"It is possible."

oOo

Location: Asgard

"It's been a week." Sif contemplated.

"The All-Father knows what he is doing and the Queen of Hel brings us news," Fandral spoke. "Is that not enough?"

"Asgard is not the same." Hogun said.

"Aye," Volstagg huffed. "What would be of the two Princes when they return?"

"Time works differently in the rift." Sif sneered. "They will return."

Fandral rolled his eyes and turned to pick up his drink, but blinked when he saw the doll sitting next to it. Fandral picked it up and showed it to his friends.

"I have no more ideas what to do with this."

"That thing keeps returning." Sif picked up her sword and stabbed it. "Even if we keep destroying it! There's some sort of trick to it!"

Fandral released it as Sif went on tearing it apart.

The doll was destroyed.

But after a while it came back as black tendrils spun around it.

"The All-Father and All-Mother warned us of this." Sif said. "They said the only way to destroy this doll is for the rift to be destroyed."

"Can we not travel there and join them?" Fandral asked. "Help them destroy it?"

"We are forbidden." Volstagg piped.

"Thor brought his mortal friends." Sif sneered as she watched the doll mend itself again. "The nightmares we are facing will cease as soon as that rift is destroyed."

"You've had them as well?" Hogun asked.

"We all have," Frigga stepped forward.

The warriors four greeted her.

"This doll is powerful and is directly connected to the rift. As long as the rift lives, so shall the nightmares and hauntings. Odin and I have done what we can to suppress the energy from it. It is acting up violently and is no longer focused on Loki alone. It will attack anyone near it. And at the moment it is you four. We've managed to dim its strength with the wards placed around the palace walls. It won't be long until Thor and his friends defeat it."

"Are we truly not allowed to follow after Thor, My Queen?" Sif wondered.

"I'm afraid not."

"But your Sons, your Majesty," Fandral said.

"I know." Frigga clenched her fists. "It pains me to have my sons taken from me again. Especially when I know not who my youngest will return to, I fear for them, but I have hope that they will survive this."

oOo

Tony felt something heavy on top of him. Everything was a blur as he opened his eyes slowly. He tried to make out what was on top of him, but the only thing he managed to focus on was a pair of bright green eyes staring at him.

oOo

TBC…

WE'RE NEAR THE END GUYS! XD
Only a few more chapters left.

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