Chapter 36
With Thanos preoccupied with his portal and readying his men beyond it for the approaching battle Vitalini was left to her own devices or at least what she could manage while left manacled to the ground. Without a care to his presence nearby she tried desperately to dislodge the manacles keeping her prisoner against the cool grassy ground. Growling to herself in frustration her struggles only ever seemed to make the manacles grow tighter and more impossible to escape. Even so she refused to give up. If she managed to escape she knew the impossibility of getting much further but she felt that if she were to let fear consume her and not even try than she was letting not only herself down but Loki as well.
It was when Vitalini sensed the several powerful auras drawing closer that her desperation broke through her mask of control. Forgotten once more were her attempts at escape. Her eyes watched widely as they drew closer. She could almost make out the individual figures in the distance now. They drew closer and closer without pause and seeing that they headed right for the barrier. Whether they could see it or not from outside its walls or they simply did not care about what crossing it could do to them did not matter as they simply continued closer. Realizing this Vitalini cried out to them begging them to stop before it was too late for them. If they crossed none of them had a chance of survival. It was that thought that kept her screaming out to them uncaring of her voice growing hoarse from her cries.
She needed them to hear her and she prayed they did.
"NO don't come here!" Vitalini screamed watching them draw closer nearly at the barrier now. "NO!" she screamed again but already it was too late.
She watched helplessly as Loki and the others passed through the barrier the light flashing brightly as they came out within the circle. All fell to their knees as their very powers that were so much a part of them were instantly drained out of them. She watched as even Tony struggled within his armored suit to find fire power. They never even had the opportunity to even consider what may have happened before the entire field was flooded with Titans swarming from the portal that Thanos had opened.
Despite the momentary surprise the Avengers fought back rushing into the fray using any weapons and firepower that they still had at their disposal. Hawkeye kept himself at a distance using his arrows as quickly as possible his keen eyes and precise aim hitting his target with every arrow. Black Widow and Fury remained nearby ensuring that none of the Titans managed to get too close to the long range fighter. Having little other choice Bruce also remained close to the three trained spies using one of the many high powered guns that Fury had thoughtfully brought along. Unable to access the power of the Hulk his scientific mind was more helpful in quickly analyzing probabilities and possibilities for battle and shared what he could to his nearby teammates. Next came Tony using what weapons in his suite that JARVIS had managed to reboot after the sudden system shutdown he had experienced upon arrival. Last was Thor and Steve relying on their sheer strength and the power in battle. With no godly power left to him Thor had been forced to abandon Mjnoir leaving it lost in the sea of battle and blood all around them. Despite the lack of a weapon Thor still possessing his strength was used to hand to hand combat just as Steve was both working well enough together to keep themselves and their friends alive. However, even that strength could not last them forever just as their weapons could not last. It was impossible as whenever they cut one done another easily replaced it as long as the portal was open to create a constant feed of the beasts.
"This is bad!" Steve shouted out to his companions all while ducking under the massive arm of a titan his shield lashing out to land a blow of his own.
"We've had bad before!" Tony shouted back in reply
His arm raised as he shot of a blast from his palm. While concentrating on the titans attacking him from the front Tony did not take notice of those readying to attack from behind.
"This is worse," Steve replied his shield boomeranging behind Tony in an expertly aimed shot that knocked the titan back and alerting Tony to their presence there.
With that Tony didn't say anything more in return unable to argue or even attempt to make light of their more than dire situation. All they could do was use what they had left at their disposal, forget any issues they may still have with each other and work together to protect each other's backs. Fully aware that if they did not do so there would be no chance of any of them leaving that park alive Tony and Steve made good on 'team work'. Yet even that teamwork made taking on a hoard of powerful alien titans at half power any easier.
While they all risked themselves in battle all Vitalini could do was watch. Her eyes found all her friends amongst the horde of Titans each fighting valiantly together not letting the disadvantage get them down. While she was pleased to see them all holding their own Vitalini could not breathe even the smallest sigh of relief. With her eyes moving through the here was still one that she had yet to find. Her eyes searched frantically, her heart beating in painful erratic beats made even more excruciating by feeling as if a heavy-weight sat on her chest.
"Loki!" she cried out knowing she would not receive an answer even if it were possible to hear her over the clash of battle. "Loki!"
Vitalini watched as one of Tony's suddenly blasts went rogue but while managing to hit several enemy Titan's in its directory it landed only a few feet from where Vitalini lay chained. Instantly everything exploded into action. Vitalini felt the heat and the rumble as the world around her seemed to burst into flames. Rubble landed around her snowing black ash as everything began to burn and smolder. Coughing painfully as the smoke that billowed all around her burned her lungs Vitalini continued to call out frantically for Loki.
Then a brief flash of black and green amongst the crowd caught her attention through the clearing smoke drawing her gaze. Relief flooded her when she saw him seeming to rise like a dark knight out of the horde of Titans his daggers flashing quickly from his fingers. Momentarily ensured of Loki's safety, Vitalini's gaze moved back towards the others to check on their safety as well.
For a brief moment she took note of the strange fact that Thanos had yet to enter the battle. Vitalini thought it strange considering all the claims he had made about destroying the Avengers by showing them the power he now wielded with all the gems of the universe in his possession. Instead he stood nearby silently watching them all struggle in battle without their full abilities his malicious grinning growing wider with each moment of battle. As if sensing her curious gaze Thanos suddenly turned on her flashing her that same horrible evil grin. She watched as his fist encased in the golden jewel encrusted gauntlet moved waving at her with a simple motion of his wrist.
Vitalini gasped feeling the ground beneath her body suddenly begin to rumble rising up in a mound to hold her body up toward the sky. With her arms and legs still firmly shackled she appeared to be placed upon an altar ready to be sacrificed. The possibilities that the image provoked did not go unnoticed by any watching. With his men holding back those that had interfered Thanos stepped toward the altar his large form drawing her gaze to him.
"Pitiful fools," Thanos thought aloud his gaze taking in all that surrounded him, those that would fight uselessly against the inevitable. "Your lives will all end soon enough but first I shall take something else
Seeing Thanos so near Vitalini, Loki struggled more violently against his opponents fighting his way through them completely ignoring the pain of his bleeding wounds. Willing up all the power he had to cut them down without his god given powers. Even without his power he still possessed the stamina of an Asgardian warrior. Driven by rage and pure instinct to protect what was his he cut them down one by one till he reached the alter.
"Keep your hands off her!" Loki roared at Thanos. Thanos merely smirked down at the obviously angered god of mischief, his hand reaching out to stroke Vitalini's lose silver hair earning an angry snap of Vitalini's teeth as she tried to escape his touch.
Ignoring the hostile action Thanos simply turned moving toward Loki where he continued to fight off his attackers leaving Vitalini struggling against her bonds. Seeing Thanos' approach his men paused instantly moving out of his way leaving Loki standing on his own dagger drawn and ready to strike. All around them battle continued to ensure between Thanos' men and the other Avengers who managed to hold them off well enough without their full abilities. But in that moment there was only Thanos and Vitalini in Loki's world, his mind completely focused on battle strategy intent on using every trick in his keen mind that may be used to his advantage.
"What do you want with her?" Loki asked warily breathing heavily from the exertion of battle.
"I am going to take her life," Thanos answered simply with a shrug of his massive shoulders his grin widening at seeing Loki's body tense all the more. "I was going to kill her first to watch you all squirm. But judging by the ring on her finger I am starting to think that'll be more fun to kill you first," he went on arrogantly flexing his fists as he drew even closer to Loki. "After all I have so enjoyed our time together so watching her cry out for you, mourn you and fall into darkness her death will be made all the more sweet for me."
The mocking was the last straw for Loki's sense of self control. It was nearly an audible snap as he attacked. With a roar he began to focus all his energy into his hands, calling up what little magic he could muster past the weight of the barrier. Much to Thanos' shock Loki somehow managed to pull some power through the barrier watching as the god's hands began to flicker with a green aura.
Thanos moved fast barely seeming to make any effort doing so. Loki growled moving once again to struggle with his powers, feeling his power draining even further. But he held onto it focusing all his energy in keeping a tight hold on what power he could. Again he attacked aiming the blow for Thanos' chest and again Thanos drawing on the power of the gems he easily dodged the full force of the blow. However, miraculously and much to even Thanos' shock Loki's dagger while missing its initial target dug deeply into Thanos' massive arm.
"I am simply claiming the power that should have been mine centuries ago," Thanos stated, licking the blood dripping from his wound to his fingers smiling as if relishing the very essence of battle. The wound never even phasing him.
"If the power was meant to be yours the gem would not have run from you and made itself disappear from existence," Loki pointed out mockingly hoping to land a blow without weapons to Thanos' ego.
"Fade from existence?" Thanos laughed back. "Oh no, it is still very present within the universe it was simply a matter of finding it."
"I may be a simple adopted prince of Asgard but Odin did not spare any expense on my education," Loki hissed irritably his eyes scanning over Thanos once more counting each gem he saw harnessed onto the gauntlet. Finishing his silent count his lips curled while his gaze came back to meet Thanos' eye. "I can count well enough and I count only five stones on your gauntlet Thanos. Perhaps it was never I who was the fool."
"No it truly is you who is the fool Princeling," Thanos replied contentedly not rising to the mocking Loki gave but seemed instead unnaturally calm for battle.
Loki did not listen any more drawing yet another of his daggers his keen green eyes looking for his opportunity of attack. Rage boiled within him sparking hotly in his eyes as he glared at the monster standing before him. He did not care what the creature had to say or what powers he claimed to possess. As far as Loki was concerned this battle was not over until Vitalini was safely in his arms once more and Thanos was dead and out of their lives, even if it meant giving his own life to do that. Seeing his moment Loki sent the dagger flying using the first as a distraction to move Thanos into a more opportune position as his quick hands drew a second blade from his armor.
Grinning widely Thanos began to move running to meet Loki's attack making any possibility keeping his attack at a safe distance impossible. Loki tried to step back to keep that distance and position to throw the second of his deadly daggers at his target. Losing his positioning and opportune target Loki growled keeping the dagger in hand as he was forced to find another target opportunity. However before he got that chance Thanos lashed back. He moved in against the attacking prince his giant fist knocking the dagger uselessly from Loki's hand hitting him full force before Loki was able to get too close.
"Loki!" Vitalini cried out physically flinching at seeing Loki take the blow full blast. "Loki please just leave! Save yourself; please!" she begged not wanting to see him hurt or even worse-dead. What she did not expect in the heat of battle and desperation was for Loki to answer her please with words of his own.
"I've done a lot of things that got me here," Loki spoke loudly into the air for her to hear his heavy breathing and wounds making even the task of speech difficult for him. "Whatever the outcome of this battle is I deserve to die but I refuse to let you!"
Vitalini's breath left her at the adamant words. She knew without a doubt that Loki meant them with everything that he was. The tears that had stung her eyes earlier fell even more uncontrolled now her heart beginning to break as if now sensing the inevitability as Loki was. They both knew that at least one of them would not walk away from this battle and both hoped it was the other that survived.
"No," she breathed in denial refusing to think of this moment as their last.
"It's not scary to die for the people you love," he told her gently the words seeming almost a whisper on the wind in the distance that separated them. "You taught me that."
For a moment a small smile curled tremulously at her lips at that. This may very well be there last moment together and they were arguing. There was some sort of irony in that.
Vitalini felt like she wasn't breathing as she watched horrified as she saw Loki crash once again painfully into the ground an agonized cry ripping past his lips when he landed while her friends faring no better against the horde of Titans they now faced. Loki fell to his knees holding his throwing arm as blood flowed from a wound in his shoulder. From across the distance between them Loki's angry green eyes rested met hers softening when their gazes met. Vitalini could feel the tears stinging her eyes flowing freely down her face as she watched a line of blood drip from a cut at the corner of Loki's lip. Even as he provided her with an arrogant smile it seemed misplaced when he kneeled at the ground. Her heart lurched, her entire body shaking as she stared back at his weakened body.
She watched as Thanos continued to beat Loki all while Loki continued to fight back as best he could. Vitalini could hear Thor shout out for his brother attempting to join him in battle against Thanos only to be waylaid by another Titan leaving Thanos for Loki alone. Even beaten and bleeding, his body slumped in encroaching exhaustion Loki continued to fight his daggers flying whenever she saw opportunity for a hit. Every so often he would take up a weapon lying forgotten in battle searching for one that worked best for him. When he took up a staff with a bladed end he swung it expertly at Thanos the elongated weapon slashing a deep wound across the Titan's chest. Her heart fluttered with a small bit of hope knowing Loki's particular skills with just such a weapon. However, it did little good now when he was already so weakened and wounded by Thanos' beating.
With his quick footing slowed Loki saw too late the hidden blade Thanos had drawn on him. It flashed at him drawing blood as it cut deep across his chest drawing a pain filled cry from him as he staggered falling to his knees. Breathing heavily Loki bit back the pain that threatened to numb his body forcing himself to keep moving. With a great deal of effort he regained his foot but he was too slow. Already Thanos was on top of him the Titan's massive fist landing a blow that sent Loki flying his body leaving a slight crater in the dirt where he had landed.
Fury plowed into Vitalini leaving her staggered where she lay. It left her feeling an awful bone chilling terror. There cries of pain, their useless drive to fight even while outnumbered and powerless against their enemies. And she was lying there powerless to do anything to help them. She couldn't fight, her eyes never leaving Loki's form. All she could think about was that he needed her. She needed to heal him. She needed to do whatever she could to ensure that she did not lose him now that they had finally found each other again. Vitalini couldn't let that happen, she refused. Long ago he had broken her heart but even then she had never stopped loving him and she always would- she had always known that. It didn't matter anymore what occurred in the past, it only mattered that he was lying there only feet away bleeding profusely.
Watching as Thanos moved in once again on Loki who kneeled on the ground struggling to continue fighting. To her Loki had always seemed large, his tall toned figure always towering over her small frame. Even when he was angry or upset Loki had always seemed strong to her, unwilling to bend against anything that threatened to tear him down. But now beaten, bloody and having difficulty even standing let alone holding a weapon he suddenly seemed so- small. And even now, looking at him, Vitalini could see that he would not give in till his final breath- and that was exactly what she could not allow to happen.
A flurry of emotions suddenly whipped through her like a tornado born from a deep need for control. She felt it deep within her welling up hearing her call in her time of need. Then suddenly it was like a door burst open. Power swamped her, consumed her. The park and everything that surrounded her spun and everything slanted as dizziness flashed through her mind but even then she ignored it, pushing herself to reach out for that power.
"Whatever else I do in my life I won't be used. Whatever you have planned I won't be used!"
With her arms spread by her restraints her hands fell from her fists opening palm up calling out to the light within her that always remained hidden deep within her. It shimmered in her hands like gilded pools of light, then flowed out of her in golden rivers. Reaching through the open door of her power she now knew that she could reach it. And that was exactly what she did.
Power crackled around her lighting her body with a strange eerie golden light as it rushed from her in waves. With a cry the power from within Vitalini suddenly burst forth in a wave before returning back to its center within her. However, even than Vitalini felt it lingering there within her the door to her power no longer closed and locked away from her.
That wasn't important. That was not what mattered now.
All that matter was that as the wave of golden light burst from her body Vitalini felt the manacles keeping her prisoner crack, crumbling to dust around her. Vitalini didn't even pause to marvel at the power she'd displayed. Her entire focus was all for Loki and only Loki. No other thought but Loki passed through her mind as she moved into action. All she saw was Thanos' fist rushing toward Loki ready to land a deadly blow. Vitalini felt herself move, her legs working on that one single minded thought.
Loki knowing he was losing this battle breathed deeply preparing himself for what was to come. Whether or not this was the end he would try to console his mind in knowing that he had died at least trying to save Vitalini. He would die knowing that even after everything he had done to save her.
"NO!" she cried out refusing to let Thanos take Loki from her in this way, not now, not ever.
Everything seemed to happen in the time span of a single instant until the world fell into slow motion before stopping all together. She ran to Loki throwing herself protectively in front of him shielding him with her own body. Vitalini felt something hit against her back leaving a sting where she had felt whatever it was hit her. Then there was a brief moment of pause until she was hit with a suddenness that left her breathless Vitalini's whole body was screaming in agony. Pain, sudden and unbidden ripped mercilessly through her. So overcome by the excruciating pain Vitalini couldn't even manage to scream out in pain. Instead she was left gaping as if trying to speak only for the words to come out in silent breathes.
With as quickly as the pain had come it disappeared just as quickly. It was as if it were little more than a fleeting thought. In that moment Vitalini realized how little she actually felt, noticing her body numbing to any feeling. Little by little her mind came reeling back to her pushing her back into reality from the initial jolt of pain that had ripped through her.
Coming back into herself Vitalini finally took in her surroundings remembering what had happened. She saw Loki kneeling wounded and bleeding, Thanos readying a death blow, and breaking free from her bonds and running to stop him from harming Loki. It was Loki that she saw first from where she stood over him. Loki stared up at her with shocked wide eyes staring back up at her where he had fallen back on the ground when she had rushed to jump protect him from Thanos' blow. His arms keeping him upright.
Loki stared back in silent shocked awe his wide green eyes looking into silvery blue. Seeing him stare back at her relief flooded Vitalini making that excruciating pain worth it leaving it forgotten. He was still there, breathing and alive. Yet, there was something incredibly wrong. Vitalini saw it staring back at her in Loki's pale face that suddenly seemed much paler than usual and his eyes seemed more than shocked as they stared back at her. There was something more staring back at her in his eyes, a look of horror that left him frozen and speechless.
Vitalini barely registered the possibilities of what such a strange look could mean. All there was for her was Loki. As if unsure that her eyes were deceiving her or not she reached for him her hand pale and trembling. Loki flinched as her fingers smoothed across his cheek the horrorstruck look never fading from his face. It was almost as if he were trying to decide what to think or feel while his mind raced to catch up to all that had happened so suddenly.
Vitalini's stare narrowed in confusion as her fingers smoothing over the sharp features of Loki's face leaving a trail of red in their wake. That smear was not alone standing out against the paleness of his face as ruby red drops rained down dripping from her raised hand. Her confusion intensified; her gaze dropping from Loki's face for the first time as she glanced down to her raised hand seeing her hand coated in the same red substance. Somehow she found the strength in her numb body to look down finding the large first of Thanos protruding from the center of her chest, blood seeping around the edges of the horrible wound.
Vitalini stared down in shock and in that instant she understood what had happened. Just as that understanding dawned on her she felt Thanos' fist tighten, clasping at something within her, snapping the tether that held the deep cloud of blessed numbness over her. She wanted to badly to be strong for Loki his green eyes flashing with so many emotions as he fought through his own shock. But no matter how strong she wanted to be it was useless. The numbness fled from her body and the pain took over- it took over everything that she was- it was all she could feel.