"Ah, just allow me a minute of fun for once. I was just curious about your reaction." Loki smirked at Aella, who gritted her teeth.

There was no doubt he had enjoyed her reaction.

Loki walked past Hayes to the door and turned to Brunnhilde. "We can leave Midgard. We need to go to Alfheim."

"Alfheim? What do we have to do there?"

"Finding a passage to Muspelheim."

Her face grew dark. "Why in Odin's name would we go there?"

"In Odin's name we're not going anywhere. He's dead, remember?"

She grimaced. "What business do we have in Muspelheim?"

Loki motioned with his chin to Aella. "We discovered something in her dream world."

"We did?" Aella asked confused. Loki was drawing conclusions she didn't understand.

"That's where the soul catcher is. Probably. And since Bifröst is destroyed and Asgard no longer exists, Alfheim is our best chance. There we can find portals to the other realms."

Brunnhilde snorted. "Those haven't been used in centuries."

"You're wrong."

"This is all well and good..." Thor raised his voice. "But can someone please explain to me what exactly you have discovered and what we are going to do?"

"I'm afraid that will be beyond your comprehension, brother." Loki smirked provokingly at the god of thunder, who only uttered a grunt.

"Loki believes I'm Rota," Aella explained. She sat down on the bed, hoping it would calm down the others. It felt like everyone was holding a container of firework that could explode any moment. "He just copied the shape I am in my dreams and I have to admit she looked terrifying similar."

"Nonsense," Brunnhilde growled.

"Not everyone is quick on the uptake. Let me show you." Loki's appearance faltered before Rota appeared in the room. He sat down next to Aella– annoyingly close.

Brunnhilde's eyes widened. Hissing, she breathed in.

"You see? Only their hair colors differ. And if Aella had let her hair down for once, we might have noticed earlier, but their faces are exactly the same. She just has a different accent because someone else taught her to speak."

Loki changed back before she could say something about it.

"But how is that possible?" Thor asked. His eyes were almost dropping out of their sockets.

"One of the biggest mysteries of the universe."

Aella poked Loki's side. "Don't be so pompous."

His eyes were sparkling. Aella looked a bit longer at them than she realized – and when she did catch herself in doing so, she quickly turned away her face. Her eyes were now crossing Brunnhilde's, who clearly showed her she wasn't a big fan of this sisterly reunion.

"Right before Rota died, she brought herself back to her purest form and transported herself to Midgard. As a baby. She only kept a few memories," Loki explained. His tone was colored by fascination.

Brunnhilde crossed her arms. "Valkyries lack such a power. I don't buy it."

Aella bit her bottom lip and contemplated the right words. "I don't know if I believe this either, Brunnhilde," she said quietly, but still clearly audible. "And it doesn't matter. What I do know, is that I'm hearing voices that are coming from the soul catcher in which Loki has trapped the other Valkyries. So whether I'm really Rota or not, doesn't matter. I have to find the soul catcher, otherwise I'll go crazy, and Loki will help me find it. You have to decide for yourself if you want to help us, but we will take this ship."

Brunnhilde raised her eyebrows. "Don't be so naive, girl. Loki never helped anyone but himself."

"And you did?" Aella shot back. "At least he pretends to be helpful."

She rolled her eyes. "Do whatever you want." She turned around and walked away. Aella had the feeling her stomach was cringing. This was her sister. The only one who was still alive. And she reacted... this way?

"So we are going to Alfheim?" Thor asked. "Fine by me. At least the beer is good there. It's been years since I have been there."

"And me?" It was the first thing Hayes said. His face was pale. Was that because of the prospect to undertake a space mission or because he had decided his adventure would end here?

"What do you mean?" Aella asked hesitantly. "You are coming with us, right?" She didn't know how to complete this journey without him. She couldn't even imagine there had been a time she had been annoyed by him.

"I rather don't decline a space trip and I rather cut off my own hand than leaving you behind with that sociopath. But I foresee some problems. For example the fact that I am just a human who probably can't even breathe on other planets."

"You just need a bit of divinity," Loki answered bored.

"And I can get that where? At the drugstore?"

Suddenly Thor started to grin. "You have to kiss her!"

Aella looked up, confused. Where was that coming from? She glanced at Loki, hoping he could explain the strange leaps of his brother. His lips turned into a smirk as well.

"It's that simple. At intimate contact, you, as a Valkyrie, lose a bit of your power which you will give to him. That will be enough."

"Eh..." Aella looked a bit overwhelmed at Hayes. His cheeks flushed.

"You can make out with Thor too," Loki suggested. "That works as well. Or with Brunnhilde, but she's so moody I would fear she bit off my tongue." He chuckled. "In theory, even I am an option. But no, obviously I'm not going to donate my powers to a trivial mortal."

Hayes snorted. "You don't? Glad to hear that, choosing between you and Aella was a real difficult task."

Aella looked awkwardly from Hayes to the two brothers, who didn't prepare to leave. "And... You'll stay around to watch?"

"Absolutely," Loki smirked. "I wouldn't want to miss this spectacle."

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