The journey goes on, readers! Just a little warning before you start: some parts of this new chapter could be harsh to read ( this is why I decided to rate this story M and not T, as I did with "Trickster") so, feel free to stop or make a pause if it troubles you or hurts your feelings in any way.
And by the way: let me know what you think, if you wish!
Xx
L.
CHAPTER 8
Lisa kept on sobbing and moaning in her sleep. Loki crouched beside her and gently uncovered the wound on her belly. As he saw it, his stomach knotted tight. The herbs he had used to cautelyse it, had not worked and it was still swollen and purulent. He bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head, won by that new failure; but the frustration that for a bunch of seconds burned in his veins, turned soon in a blazing desire of revenge: clenching his jaws, he stared thoughtfully at his hand palms. The skin was wrinkled and dried by the cold and his white fingers were purple- pitched in some points. Nevertheless, he felt deep inside that his power had not completely exhausted and even if that had been his last chance, it was undoubtedly worth trying .
With no hesitation, Loki stood up and oriented his hands towards Lisa. Then, exhaled deeply and let the magic rush out.
Instantly, it was like sharp flames devoured his flesh piece by piece, forcing him to crumble to his knees. His breath cut out and his vision went fuzzy. Tears of effort trailed along his face but he struggled not to unfocus and break the contact. Only when the pain bacame delirious, his heart began to beat slower and he felt his muscles about to burst, he let it go and utterly overwhelmed by weakness, curled on the grass and closed his eyes.
Three days after, Loki still felt wrecked. Every breath hit like a blade trough his ribs and whenever he tried to move, it was like someone squeezed his lungs violently. In spite of this precarious physical condition, his senses were still quick and alert, ready to catch even the tiniest sign of improvement from Lisa. The wound appeared clean and almost completely healed and fever had lowered; yet, she was quite far from recovery. Loki sighed and frowned hard. His magic had worked, he was sure about that, so why did she still look so troubled and worn- out? He just couldn't fathom it. He stumbled, got up from the ground and started to walk nervously up and down the clearing; his brow thight, as he looked for a logical explanation. Then, a sudden thought blew his mind and made him shiver. What if the bruises covering Lisa's body were just the tip of the iceberg? Just a small part of something inner and worse? His guts clamped and his heart set pounding. A new heavy rush of nausea soured his throat. His face reflexively twitched and tilted his head sideways, trying to get rid of that hideous idea. The doubt anyway, had wormed its way into his brain and however hard he tried to put it aside, it ensnared his senses and tortured him pauselessly.
Loki remained poised for a while as his thoughs drifted furiously away but eventually, he surrendered and moved. He laid a hand on Lisa's forehead and after a few seconds, summoned all his bravery and made a slight pressure with his palm, ready to face that fear which was silently eating away at him.
~•~•~•~
Darkness fell all around. Loki swallowed but didn't make a sound. He felt his cosciousness splitting in two and one part of it being thrown into an endless abyss but he didn't resist. He twirled like a splinter shot in the sky and only when he touched the ground, he dared breathe again.
He blinked and let his eyes flicker. The room he was in, was empty and neon- lightened. A sinister buzz filled the silence and the walls were dazzling- white. He had been in a place like that on Midgard, once, and even though he was dizzy, he instantly identified the same acrid smell and discomfortable excess of light.
He heard some steps approaching and his bowels instinctively tensed. However, he kept calm, aware that he was wandering into a memory and no one could have ever seen or touched him.
As the door opened, Loki gaped in astonishment : two members of the Black Order were escorting a woman. Her lips tightened, her glance severe and her hair tied dishevelledly in a bun. She looked aged and weary, but her bearing still kept that pride that only Asgardians had and that made Loki's heart almost explode with joy and sadness, at the same time. It didn't take him much to recognise Eir, in that female figure. She was the healer of Asgard, as well as one of the most faithful servant of his mother, Frigga.
Their voices came out blurred and low, as if they were underwater, so Loki had to step a little closer to catch their words.
"It's time". Ebony Maw said to her. "Our Lord trusts in your experience and so do we but you know what only one misstep can lead to". He added with stern.
Eir didn't show any awe at that threat, and her expression didn't change either.
"Bring here the girl and leave." She just muttered and then, she looked away.
Loki waited immobile, his breath held. His fists were so clenched he felt his nails plunge into the skin. For an instant, he regretted being there and tried to go back, but when the door opened again, he froze and forced himself to stay. He had to. For her daughter, for Lisa, for their future.
~•~•~•~
Eir washed carefully her hands and wiped them. Afterwards, with calibrated movemens, she pressed over Lisa's abdomen with her palms and fingertips. Her moves were rapid and confident and in front of that mastery, Loki felt safe. Not even a moment after, though, his relief turned into utter bewilderment as he saw Eir grab a scalpel from the stock of surgical tools behind her. She swiped the blade over a candle flame and with stunning precision, made a deep cut right under Lisa' s navel.
Loki's eyes widened in shock, he wished he could cry but no tears or voice could came out of him
Blood gushed and spurted from the open wound and Eir promptly plugged it. Then, when the bleeding reduced, she broadened the two edges of skin and with terrifying unaffectedness, pull the whole womb out of Lisa'abdomen and secured it in a sterilised box.
Loki stepped back horrified. His stomach turned over. Intense spasms began to rush trough his spine and shake him. The woman who had healed and comforted him so many times in his childood and youth had now turned into a monster. That plain certainty totally devasted him. He put both his arms around his middle to regain control over his body and mind and ground his teeth. Salted tears reached his mouth and tongue but he tried with all his will to keep his eyes shut, until he felt himself floating and tossing and finally, hitting the grass of the clearing. His heartbeat was hammering in his temples and something felt loose in his back. He sucked in a deep breath, rolled over his left side and collapsed in the silence of the winter night.