(((I thought to myself as we work in another character to shake up the two and get him unsettled even before facing Thanos, what could possibly truly make him frustrated? Well, it would have to be only one thing; her succumbing to a form of magic that was very base and yet not his own so that he looks a little foolish not being able to enchant her where a creature of dark faerie magic would be able. Now she gets to see what real jealousy in real power looks like!)))

Chapter 36: Illumination

"Alright, so let me get this straight," Darcy said confusedly. "This horse is your baby, your kid, but you're not the father?"

"Correct," Loki replied. The full effects of the healing stone were affording him much clarity for this journey. Hopefully, he thought, it would remain as strong in his veins as they entered the realm of Svartalfheim. Granted it had been years since anyone had seen or heard from the dwarves that dwelled in Nidavell beneath or the dokkaralf led by the accursed that dwelled in the mountains, but he would need help from whoever he saw first and neither would be a suitable choice for any weakness especially with a mortal in tow. He sighed heavily and glanced back at her, something in him urging him to speak more plainly and in as great a quantity as he could to her given almost losing her several moments before. He shook it away firmly; he had not almost lost her, she was nothing to lose. Sleipnir grunted unhappily at the stark terrain around them. Darcy had commented that the landscape, barren and darkened by an almost eternal night, looked like the dark side of earth's moon. A fitting description given that Svartalfheim was essentially the dark side of its sister realm, Alfheim, and had been placed by portal directly behind Asgard's fortresses so that the All-Father could have Heimdall watch their kind, and their king, carefully. The mountainous path they wandered was growing darker by the moment and while Sleipnir found it difficult enough to traverse the darkness would make it even more difficult. Loki frowned and noted a lantern glowing in the distance, then another, a pathway. He drew in a deep breath and looked over his shoulder directly and commandingly into Darcy's eyes. "Now, remember what I have told you about this realm."

"It's the home of the dwarves and the elves and it's full of magic that can kill me in ways I wouldn't recognize," she repeated with a groan and rolling her eyes. "And when we get in there while they're taking care of you in return for something you'll probably lie to them about, I shouldn't say anything, touch anything, or get too close to anything or anyone."

"Above all you must not eat or drink anything, look in their eyes, or allow them to touch you. It is poison to a mortal," he warned, in the back of his mind glad that the encounter with his father and brother had occurred. At least now she would be loath to mention her supposed title to any of these creatures. She swallowed hard at this, frowning. Why wasn't there anywhere pleasant to go, somewhere with creatures that didn't have it in for her? He groaned and leaned forward as the healing stone began to rapidly dissipate within him. "No, no, no, a few moments more; just a few moments."

"Are you alright? Is that thing he gave you wearing off?" she asked.

He said nothing else, drawing in a deep breath. The entrance to the mountain appeared and Sleipnir halted. Whinnying with disapproval. Loki groaned more loudly and leaned forward, touching the stallion's mane with affection and assurance. Sleipnir frowned a little at his 'mother' and trotted up to the entrance. Carefully, Loki turned them and motioned for Darcy to climb down. She sighed and dismounted, unceremoniously, toppling to one side and watching as he, even wounded, dismounted with ease and began walking towards the entrance. "Stay nearby," he whispered. Sleipnir neighed anxiously and watched as Darcy hurried to her former captor's side as he strode past the set of lanterns now following rows of torches that grew more sparse the further they moved. Loki frowned. Surely someone had heard them coming. Come on, you selfish little imp, come and show yourself, he cursed inwardly hoping that at least one dark elf nearby or at the very least a dwarf would hear them and come running to defend the mountain. No such luck. He grunted and leaned against the wall as consciousness faltered.

"Loki!" Darcy cried, taking hold of his good arm. "Stop, just stop for a minute. Can't we call for help? Where is everyone?"

"You're speaking," he hissed as sweat began to pour from him again. "They'll hear you."

"Yeah and they'll come and help you, right?" she asked. He felt the world grow dark and his strength give way for a moment. "Loki? Loki, can you still hear me?!" Darcy was able to catch a little of his fall to the floor and let out a cry of surprise and fear. She looked around anxiously. Frying pan to fire, her mind said inwardly. "Help! Someone, anyone, help us! Please!" she shouted. She jumped as a strong breeze swept around the hallway and the torches that were giving minimal light extinguished in an instant. Her heart beat rapidly and she noticed a sudden string of glowing orbs not far away along with the sound of faint shuffling. Something or someone was coming towards them. Don't look in their eyes, she reminded herself and leaned over the trickster protectively, looking away from what must've been a host of the citizens of this part of the realm.

Loki had been unclear about which of the two races they were most likely to run into and what they would look like. If what she had read held true, then the faint yellowish light that the creature's carried in their hands illuminated what must've been elves. They were as tall as she expected, pale with dark sunken eyes, white haired, and faintly speaking in a strange tongue. Dark elves . . . they must've been. She kept averting her gaze as they surrounded the two, speaking softly and debating what to do. Had Darcy been able to speak their language she would've heard the concept that they were able to recognize even in the dark that she was a human with exceptional talent, it simply surrounded her. A few thought it best to kill her and allow their king to drink her blood to consume its power, another reminded them that it was not their place to make those decisions when the king would've wanted to make it himself especially since the younger Asgardian prince was settled in a heap in front of her in some sort of trauma.

"We should start healing him before we're blamed for anything, the king would agree," one hissed in their strange dialect. "Take the human to the throne room, let the king see what she is and how best to deal with her."

Before Darcy could ask any questions, and a few had finally formed in her mind, she felt a strong pair of gloved hands grab her collar and hoist her in the same direction they'd been walking. "Wait, wait! No!" she cried as they moved forward. "Loki! Do something!"

"Silence," one of them hissed, shaking her harshly.

"Where are you taking him?! He could be dying!" she shouted.

"I said silence," the elf repeated angrily, this time stopping and grasping her hair, pulling her head backwards painfully. "And I meant it." Darcy began to sob all the harder now. The one semblance of familiarity she had in the trickster had disappeared into darkness. Now she knew how Jane felt, desperate for the sight of Thor once again but terrified he would never return for her.

(*)

"Okay, so it's decided," Dr. Selvig announced as the room full of S.H.I.E.L.D. associates, Jane, and 3 of the 7 heroes still present. "The project will relocate in 72 hours. We will meet at the transport checkpoints nearest our centers at 0800. Is everyone clear about where we're going?"

Jane frowned and looked outside the nearest window, pondering both why she had done what she had done to try and get Thor to return and why he had not returned. Had he decided that introducing her as his companion would mean her safety? Had he decided not to have anything else to do with humanity after discovering something as strange as Darcy? A tear rolled down her cheek at the thought of losing a friend, losing her beloved, the man she had thought endlessly about for over a year, and now she had lost any hope of a normal career as well. She jumped as she watched a flash of light followed by a strong surge of lightning suddenly strike the ground outside. She gasped as a figure formed in the center of the flash, a familiar figure in brilliant red and blue clothing clad in silvery armor. She hurried from the room, ready to make any apologies and accusations necessary to balance all of this out and restore her life to what it was when she had been with the exiled prince in New Mexico.

(*)

Darcy felt the creature release her as they came to a room with bright light filtering in at its center. She darted towards it and looked around the rest of the room carefully. Sadly, she was unable to see anything and realized, hearing the low and gravelly voice of the creature that had taken her, speaking still in its native tongue, conferring with someone else. The next voice was perfectly refined as if having had centuries of polishing with greatest care and poise. She froze as it spoke, chilling her deeply as she found her mind worrying frantically about the trickster.

"I see," the voice said softly. "Yes, you were right to take him to the healers. And this one, this one is most assuredly a creature of magic as well." Darcy contemplated moving forward, getting a better look at these creatures, and demanding to know where Loki was. She stayed put with a combination of fear and curiosity keeping her still and stable for the moment. "Go and see to him. I will collect what is needed from this Othala before deciding what is to be done with it."

Darcy found the new voice strangely enticing. You really need help, you know that? That could be an evil creature, more evil than the one you've already got in your sadistic sights, she hissed at herself. Just remember what he told you. She froze again, realizing she had forgotten in a flash, for whatever reason, what he had told her to expect here. "Don't eat anything, don't touch anything or let it touch you, don't look in their eyes," she repeated softly. "Why can't you say something now, when I want you to speak? Are you that far unconscious?"

"Well now," the strange, and haunting voice announced from the shadows. The comforting light she had run into to stay alert and ready to defend herself was too great to see anything out in the distance from its perimeter. "And just what is it that brings you here? I see a human before me, but their kind are not so boldly native to the realms beyond let alone the presence of greatness."

"Great, another megalomaniac," Darcy muttered under her breath. She turned and felt that breath catch instantly in her throat at the sight of what now stood mere inches from her. There was no averting her gaze now, but she didn't feel poisoned at all. Had Loki simply given her excess precautions to take? No, he's not concerned enough to take that kind of precaution, she reasoned, at least, I don't think he is.

"Did you speak? I heard words subtly issue from your mouth, but not in a manner as resplendent or lovely as you seem to be," the creature stated smoothly. While a threat was clearly behind his words and this rich, fantastic voice, it was too beautiful to make her afraid enough to bolt. Definitely something to seek help for, Darcy thought to herself. The creature looked like the rest of the others Loki had passed; pale skin, crystal blue eyes, white hair, and pointed ears. Pointed ears? This is still too unreal, she said inwardly, still too fantastic. Darcy felt her blood drain from her as he stepped closer and drove her back a few paces allowing them to enter the light fully and reveal that he bore a deep and wide scar covering half his face and one ear that left the flesh blackened and somewhat jagged. She gasped. "You seem surprised."

"You-you-you're an, an, an," she stammered.

"Go on," he urged gently. "What am I?"

"An . . . elf," she finally stated in a whisper. "Like a half light, half dark elf, right?" His eyes widened in what she assumed was shock and then narrowed in either contempt or confusion. Probably contempt; elves treasure their heritage, she reminded herself. Great, a couple words in to my first conversation with a real elf and he's going to kill me.

"I'm not going to kill you," he said fluidly. Darcy stared at him in confusion. "You are none of my concern as far as survival or death; your presence in my realm, with the Asgardian, that intrigues me."

"Wait, so . . . wait a minute," Darcy said putting her hands together in front of her. "I thought elves hated humans, they're creatures of nature and blame us for all their, your, well, all the problems in nature."

He laughed melodically and the smile that formed on his contrasted features frightened her for a beat. She jumped backwards at it until he advanced a pace closer and, in the name of seeming a little less afraid, she stayed put. "You refer to The Sons of Midgard, I am not among them. They abandoned our kind millennia ago to watch over the first roots of the Father Tree failing under the watch of humankind, the source of all faerie and fair folk living and dead. Now those are not ljosar nor dokkar; neither light nor dark and, in that sense, both. I have no desire to preserve nor pursue war with any creature on Midgard," he purred. Darcy took a few cautious steps backwards as he continued to advance. "I am Malekith, the king of Svartalfheim; lord of the dokkaralf and leader of their people."

"Uh, hello, your majesty," Darcy replied with a nod. "I'm Darcy, Darcy Lewis."

"Darcy Lewis. Darcy Lewis; there's something spectacularly sinister and charmingly brilliant in such a name. But I averted the proper course of conversation, forgive me for intruding without an introduction," he said with a deeper and polite nod, holding out a pale hand towards her. She stared at him for a moment and he frowned, withdrawing the hand and nodding to her. "Oh, of course, you are a creature of good breeding and no woman is to be taken by the hand without familiarity. How proper your people must be; I should very much like to know more about you, Darcy Lewis."

"Um, thank you, and I'm flattered and all, but I really need to get back and make sure my companion is alright," she said awkwardly.

He smiled once again, the gleam in his eyes growing all the brighter and hungrier at her words. "He is well and resting, I assure you," Malekith replied, now holding his arm out towards her instead. "Come, my dear. There is nothing to be afraid of, not here."

"Well, I-I don't want to be a burden or an inconvenience or anything," Darcy said defensively backing away again.

"Nonsense; a fetching little creature like you an inconvenience? Such a cruel thing to speak aloud, a false thought. I shall hear no such heaviness from you about this," he replied. Darcy couldn't explain why, but something in her told her that if she didn't take his offer now that she would regret it in the future (although another part of her believed she would regret the action regardless). She reached out and carefully wrapped one hand around his arm and then placed her other timidly over his forearm. He smiled once more and began to walk swiftly, gracefully towards the large doors that led out of the chamber. "You are a most welcome diversion in my presence."

"You'd be the first person to say that," Darcy said uneasily.

Malekith halted and turned to her. "Has he told you such things? Has he spoken cruelly to you?" he asked in what appeared to be earnest concern, but another flash of blue made Darcy wary of his intentions superficially.

"Well, kind of. I mean, he's been wounded and stranded and all so I expected him to be a little off-putting," she stammered defensively.

"Oh, you poor, poor dear," he said, his voice growing more soothing and terrifying every minute. Soon, he would seem more than a match for the trickster in words. He gently reached out with the other hand and, to Darcy's surprise, softly touched the side of her face. Again, not poisonous, but pleasant instead. Very pleasant. The gesture held a cold breeze in it, but the lingering touch was heavenly. She shook herself within and reminded herself that he was probably using strong magic to sway her thoughts. "You shall hear no more of that, I promise you, not from these halls as long as I am present."

"Oh, it's no big deal," she said with a shrug.

"I quite disagree," he corrected.

Had Loki been able to see what was transpiring in his absence he would've screamed madly. Firstly at the thought of Darcy expressly disobeying him and ignoring his warnings and secondly at the thought she was so close to being elfmazed after being immune to the scepter's abilities and his own natural gift of persuasion. But as it happened, Loki was deep in sleep and not likely to wake until Malekith had decided what it was he wanted in return for aiding the little whelp. He felt absolutely exhilarated as the strange descendent of mortal sorcerers walked peacefully at his side. It would be worth the trouble to assist him if for no other reason than to have a human like this in the bargaining balance. Darcy thought about what Loki would say to this for a fleeting moment, then she thought only of how suddenly at ease she felt with this new creature. Well, he's not what I usually picture when I hear the word 'elf' but at least he hasn't tried to kill me or threatened me, she said inwardly. Maybe this place is safer than that other guy wanted me to believe. As they continued walking, the natural human draw to the faerie people become too much for Darcy to question and she found herself more at ease now than she had been since long before she had even met Thor. This won't be so bad, she thought. He'll get fixed up and maybe I'll finally get a decent night's sleep!