"This is the chemical formula for love: C8H11NO2+C10H12N2O+C43H66N12O12S2: dopamine, seratonin, oxytocin. It can be easily manufactured in a lab, but overdosing on any of them can cause schizophrenia, extreme paranoia, and insanity. Let that sink in."
I was going to go insane, the emptiness of everything turned seconds into hours and hours into years, within a short amount of time I could no longer distinguish whether it had been just a few hours or days already. My arms were numb and my body cold, they were holding back, I knew they were holding back. I tried to wiggle my wrists from the cuffs that held them to the cold rock. With each move that was in vain my skin rubbed away, burning at the sheer rawness that I had inflicted upon myself. My hope was fading but I tried to remain strong, to remain fearless, but I was afraid, this was nothing I was ever trained for and I just wanted to be able to wake up and all this would be one nightmare that I would forget in due time, but this was real, this was very real. My head thudded against the hard rock and all that met my eyes was darkness. Is this how I am to die? Cold, alone, surly to be forgotten? It certainly seems that way.
No Eira, you will not die at their hands, and I will never forget you, not even when you are by my side every morning.
The tesseract was here on Asgard, easily within my grasp, the ability to save Eira, to end this quickly. But I couldn't, handing over the tesseract, handing over one of the infinity stones was sure to end in destruction, in war and in death, and then I would lose her for certain. No, I had to come up with a plan, make allies with the enemies I had created on Midgard and end this threat once and for all. It was the only way, for if Thanos got his hands on the tesseract all hell would break loose. I had to get her; I had to help her, just this morning I made a promise, and I would keep it at all costs because if anything happened I would never forgive myself, I would be to blame.
My heart ached internally and chest ached physically, I ripped off the upper half of the shirt that I had dawned and stood before the mirror looking at the newest wound that would scar and join the growing numbers that marred my flesh. Looking through the books that lined my shelves I picked up the most worn casting book and found a more elaborate healing spell, mumbling the words I looked down when my chest burned and slowly the laceration healed, a deep scar left in its wake.
Each second was precious, the moon had raised high into the sky as I frantically searched the multitude of books looking for any information that could be of use. The stacks of books were growing ever higher and still there was nothing. Her voice broke through to my mind and at the moment I was so thankful for what I had did in the forest, I still had her, only if it was a weak voice. Is this how I am to die? Cold, alone, surly to be forgotten? It certainly seems that way.
Her words cut me deep, the punctured my chest much like a blade would do, but this was worse, this was so much worse. My heart ached to know that she thought this was how it would all end, all these feelings were so foreign that coursed through me when I thought of her, whenever I was near her and now I was driven, my determination tenfold, I would have her in my arms again. I shook my head. What have you done to me woman? The next words I spoke to her were the truth, a truth that I would make a reality no matter how difficult the trials and tribulations would be. No Eira, you will not die at their hands, and I will never forget you, not even when you are by my side every morning.
At last in the last book I had gathered some useful information come to light. I skimmed over the text certain words standing out above all others. "Nihilism and death. Born of the moons of Saturn…murdered his own family…craved power." A dry chuckle escaped my throat, I was well aware of that last portion. The bottom line was that this was not going to be an easy task. Briskly I walked towards the door, slamming it behind me as I magicked my heavy armor back onto my body. My destination? The weapon's vault and then the Bifrost. I was going to Midgard.
Rest never came, my eyes would shut but I could not escape the harsh reality. I screamed into nothing until I could taste blood in rising from my throat, I saw sure I had managed to rub my wrists raw to the bone, but what irked me the most was that I was doing this to myself. When my sound would form from my lips I hung my head in defeat, trying to find a memory to latch onto, to hold tight to, I couldn't lose those because if I did every ounce of will would leave me.
The chains rattled and soon my arms dropped to my side, forcefully I was hoisted to my feet, but still was drug behind a member of the Chitauri, the vile breed of creatures. He tossed me to the ground before the staircase that extended into darkness, I knees were bruised and bloodied, my whole body ached. Thanos' cold and cruel voice bellowed through the empty space.
"Tell me wench, did Laufeyson ever tell you what we did to him? Did he share the fun we had? He was such a good screamer, cries of pain and agony. You see, I found a broken prince."
Before my eyes flashed a hologram of Loki, his hair shorter, his face younger and more innocent and his armor more polished. Tears slipped down my cheeks, he was like a totally different person now, and it was because of him. The projection lifted his hand to my cheek, and it felt real, everything felt so real.
"And I molded him into our messenger boy, you see it wasn't a difficult task, with enough pain and mental attacks a person will break, and then you can put the pieces back together how you choose."
The hologram changed to show Loki chained to the very same rock I was just moments ago, his hair longer and matted with dirt and blood, his bare torso covered in scabs and bruises spanned his chest and neck. He looked broken, but determined and when I stretch my arm out to brush the hair from his face it faded into the blackness as I dropped to my knees looking up to the top of the steps, the dark figure blending into the endless night.
"I will let you in on a little secret about our time with Loki, it was a favorite past time of ours really. You seem to be a wise mortal Eira Taylor, so tell me. How do you torture a Frost Giant?"
I managed to stand back to my own feet holding my ribs; choking on my words, my voice an airy rasp. "With heat."
A laugh came from the top, from his makeshift throne. "Very well, next question. How do you break one that can control the very element of heat?"
My eyes widened as I backed away. No no no no no. The footsteps were leaded, heavy under the weight of his boot as he descended, once again there was that laugh and sadistic smile as he looked down to me. "It seems you know the answer to that question as well."
The tesseract was mere feet away, my hand outstretched, the murky blue glowing that dangerous light. I was close, closing in on the item that could put an end to this. End our suffering and reunite us, because there's no other way around it: Loki&Eira: Stonger Together.
"Stop."
A chuckle sounded from deep within my throat, oh how ironic, the Allfather and I were in the weapons vault once more. The memory burned into my mind all too well, replaying in this very moment. "Am I cursed?" But this time was different.
"Loki, I know what has transpired; the tesseract must now remain on Asgard with defenses that are capable of protecting it."
I breathed in, my anger, no my rage rising, I turned around, a snarl set on my face. "And what will you have us do? Nothing? You would let her perish in the cold grasps of a realm not known to you at the hands of people that are cruel and ruthless. You would stand by and watch as my world crumbles once more. I know what I have to do and no one, not even you, Odin Allfather can stop me."
I ascended the same stairs on which Odin stood, prepared to storm past him, but his hand pressed into my chest, stopping me at his side.
"I will not allow Eira that fate either; she did not tell you did she?"
I swallowed, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Secrets, nothing more than hidden truths and therefore a lie, they would be the death of me. I thought we once agreed to no more secrets, but then again I had still hidden away the stories of my scars of my time with the Chitauri. Regaining the slightest composure I lifted my head. "Tell me what?"
"Loki, when I step down, it will not be Thor that receives the crown, it will be you."
A lump caught in my throat, ME, a frost giant, on the throne of Asgard? That meant…Eira; she would be my Queen. But why was he telling me this now? The throne, at one time I would kill for my birthright, but now that didn't matter. I would rather die a peasant and have Eira's love than rule from a throne and somehow lose what I had.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you are my son, and Eira is now my daughter." His voiced lacked the harsh edge that I had grown so accustomed to hearing whenever he spoke to me; it took me back to my childhood.
"Then you will have no opposition to my future actions."
It was cold, unbearably cold, my teeth chattered, skin shivered and nerves were numb. There was no ice around me though; it came from a curse Thanos cast that chilled my insides, nearly freezing the blood in my veins. I could feel the frost in my hair, the strain of my joints, I felt like if I was to fall I would shatter into a million tiny pieces, but fate would not be that kind. He was always lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to give in, to break Loki myself but I wouldn't, I couldn't.
"You pitiable fool. Can you not see that he is not coming for you? That now a burden is lifted off his miserable shoulders?"
I tried my best to shake my head in disagreement but the movement did not come, fir if it did my neck would undoubtedly snap, so instead my losing voice sliced through the silence.
"He's going to come for me, I know he will…I…" Each passing second my resolve grew smaller.
"And what makes you believe that you can trust the God of Lies with your life?"
I had no answer to speak but I knew I trusted him, I trusted him from the moment he pulled that arrow out of my side when he could've easily left me for dead and carried on his merry way, a freed man.
"He is incapable of love, incapable of feeling, he is the monster I molded him into, he does not love you."
"You're lying."
His hand flicked forward and the cold was replaced by heat, warning my body so quickly that it hurt more than the bone chilling cold. I screamed, oh how I screamed, and that bastard relished in each and every agony filled sound that came out of me, he enjoyed watching my writhe in pain. But when my body couldn't take any more I would pass out, and he would leave, returning hours later to resume the tortures that he concocted. I stood strong, stood my ground, unconsciousness never came, and when it didn't I looked that monster and they eye and smirked, laughing through all the pain he had inflicted.
"You wish to be difficult? Oh you will regret that decision." His minions pulled my away from the rock, unlocked the chains and lead me away to yet another unknown place, I turned my head to see Thanos and by the look on his hideous face, which was somewhere between a smirk and victorious grin. I would, I would definitely regret that decision.
"Loki. You are aware of my sworn oath to protect this kingdom and that if your return will threaten the safety of Asgard the Bifrost will remain closed and you will be left on Midgard."
"I know good Heimdall. Can you see her?"
The strong warrior turned his gaze to the stars and galaxies, the amber eyes intently studying them. "No, I cannot. She is hidden from me, but she is strong Loki, stronger than we can possibly know."
Heimdall stepped to the dais and sheathed his sword into the slot, the Bifrost began purring with life, and soon the light engulfed me and I was sent traveling across the universe, to Midgard. I landed on the hard ground in ally way, the sounds of the city still going strong even at this late hour. My destination was Stark Tower, an all too familiar place and now mostly like the place where I would be walking into my death, because I knew all too well that Eira would forever be like the Man of Iron's child and I was never on a good page with him to begin with. The white lights of the lobby came into view, here goes nothing.