Chapter 2 – Finding Loki:

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Thor, Lady Sif and the Warrior Three scoured eight of the nine realms in search of Loki for three months before they eventually found a lead. Vanaheim home to the Vanir is a dense forest-like realm where many things can be hidden. That is where they were told they could potentially find Loki. The Vanir people reportedly discovered a Chitauri camp deep in the Vanaheim forbidden forest and alerted the Asgardians to its location to try and help them find Thor's lost wayward brother.

Thor, Sif and the Warrior three had found the camp and have been watching it for an hour now trying to pinpoint a pattern on their patrol team. There was no sign of Loki but maybe if they captured a Chitauri soldier they could get some answers as to his whereabouts.

"So, what's the plan?" Asked Lady Sif as she regained her position behind a large dark oak tree. The camp had been made in a clearing in the forbidden forest but it was clear some of the trees were demolished ready for the camp to be set up fully.

"We take them by surprise." Said Thor strongly, addressing everyone now "When the next patrol comes, we will enter into the camp, avoiding the other patrols we should make it to the third line of patrol before we are spotted."

"What then?" Fandral questioned, sheathing and unsheathing his rapier blade nervously as he prepared for the worst. Thor's plans only worked out seventy percent of the time anyways.

"Then we let all Valhalla break loose on them." Replied Hogun, obviously aware that Thor had no plan after that like usual.

They all nodded agreeing to the plan, readying their weapons and praying to Tyr, the god of war and battle, for luck.

Ten minutes had passed before the first patrol passed them. They kept low as they edged into the borders of the camp. There were plenty of placed for them to take cover behind large tree stumps and tents as the weaved in and out of numerous Chitauri soldiers. The second patrol had just missed them as they carried on towards the third set.

All of Valhalla did indeed break loose as the third patrol spotted them immediately. Warning sirens were signalled and hundreds of Chitauri soldiers were now upon them.

Each one of them fought, taking down as many Chitauri as they could while trying to work their way further into the camp. As they worked further, they soon realised the camp wasn't much of a camp that they had thought it to be. A vast number of high tents covered a building buried deep into the ground. The chitauri had probably spent longer than three months building the underground network Thor suspected was down there. The camp was just a cover.

"Fall back." The a chitauri general suddenly screeched when a Leviathan left the ground. They were retreating? Numerous Chitauri soldiers jumped onto the Leviathan before it left the ground those who were left struggled to fight the Asgardians as they advanced. This confused Thor.

When the last of the Chitauri had been killed or had retreated, Thor strongly kicked in the door to the bunker with a front kick finding only a spiral staircase that led deep into the ground.

"Where have they all gone?" Volstagg whispered so the rest could hear him as the descended down the stair case.

"They were probably aware of our arrival hours ago." Hogun whispered back. "How else would they have had this much time to retreat?"

Thor didn't know, but he was desperate to find Loki at this point. He vaguely remembers the Chitauri who took him telling him 'He would pay'. For what? He inwardly worried his brother was in danger by failing the chitauri and loosing the battle of Earth.

They came to the bottom of the stair case which led to a straight corridor. Thor was not expecting this. A single corridor deep underground, he had expected a vast network of corridors and staircases.

The smell suddenly hit Thor's senses as well as the others. The place smelt like rot and death. They painstakingly moved up the corridor coming to a suspicious locked door. Fandral made quick work of the door before Thor could kick it in and opened it for them to peer into. Lady Sif, being the most intelligent of the bunch, had already picked up a torch from the wall to help illuminate the pitch-black room as they stepped into it.

All of the walls were covered in thick red blood. Torture devices were scattered around the room as well, some on wooden blood-stained tables while others were discarded on the floor.

Sif gasped as she pointed the torch to a hanging figure at one of the lengths of the room. Thor stepped in front of her as he inspected the figure.

Its arms were restrained above its head, the glinting gold chains connected to the ceiling keeping him where the Chitauri wanted. The figures feet were barely touching the floor as it swung delicately on the chains. Laboured breathing could be heard from the figures bare chest as they breathed. Said chest was littered in deep gashes and burns as well as the whole back. Sif drew closer illuminating the figure more for Thor to see. Half of the figures hair on its head was missing and instead was replaced by burn marks and a deep spiders web of fresh pink scars. The rest of the hair was Greasy and deep black in colour reaching down to just past the figure's shoulders.

"Brother?" Thor asked gently, wishing this not to be Loki as he lifted the figures chin.

It was Loki. Although the face was almost unrecognisable Thor knew it was really Loki.

Half his face was covered with blood while the other was deeply gashed, torn and swollen. Loki's eyes were barely open and Thor watched them roll back into his head as he swayed in the chains.

Volstagg was the first to react, swinging his battle-axe and breaking the chains that held Loki upright. Thor was there to catch as he stumbled forwards exhausted.

"B-brother-r?" Came Loki's broken, hoarse voice as he clung to his brother's cape, fearing this wasn't real.

"Lets get him to Asgard."