A/N: Hello to everyone and welcome to chapter 19. First of all, I really want to thank you guys for the sweet reviews and new followers/favourites I got since last time. I'm so happy that until now the story seems to be enjoyed by so many and hopefully this will continue. You lot are incredible!

Now, as I know that some readers might have some difficulty with passages containing strong violence I thought I'd put here a first warning. Chapter 20 will have some scenes of explicit torture. As it's not important to know the details in order to understand the further plot, there will be a note above each passage. Readers with a weak disposition will then be able to just skip those parts. There's no point in changing the rating for one chapter alone.

I just mention it here so no one can say later I didn't warn you ;)

Okay, so that's it for now from my side. Hope you'll enjoy this. xx

The first thing he noticed when the bright light faded was the darkness that surrounded him, the impenetrable black covering his eyes. Only slowly did his other senses catch up on the new and sudden shift. Next his nostrils came in contact with a pungent odour, one he was certain was very much like that of burned flesh. It sent waves of disgust through him and he retched.

Where was he?

Around him strange noises penetrated the blackness, sharp tongues growling words he did not understand. He faintly registered a dull pain in his left side when he tried to stand up and with a sudden pang he remembered all that had happened.

Dragging Fara through the palace, stone crashing down and burying screaming people under perpetual silence.

Blood.

Debris.

Frigga.

Her dead, lifeless, bloodied body. Still warm. Still soft.

The memories came in fast succession, scene after scene, picture after picture. For a moment he thought he would drown in their vortex.

Where was he?

When the blackness parted to let in blazing light he could not tell, but his surprise at the blinding cold spark quickly ebbed away when he saw three dark figures stand above him in a circle.

Faceless.

White masks covered their features and the rest of their bodies was clad in black armour. Instantly he recognised them as Dark Elves. But where was Malekith and his horned slave?

They did not speak to him. Two creatures pulled him up to his feet and a second later he could feel something cold clasp around his throat. The sound of metal clashing drummed against his ear. Oh, how clever! Putting a leash on him as if he were a dog. Why did everyone lately appear to take satisfaction from treating him like a beast?

A deep growl came from one of the despicable creatures' direction and he felt a sharp tuck at his neck motioning him to start moving. The sharp iron cut into his skin and he felt something warm spreading from the spot down soaking his tunic's collar. The scene had a strange similarity to his reception in Asgard after Thor had dragged him back from New York, only that this time he had no idea what to expect.

Another clasp was pulled tightly around his wrists and Loki could swear he heard the elves' mocking grunts behind their masks.

The quartet made its way through a maze of dark hallways. From somewhere far a soft buzzing could be heard, like the sound of bees...or an engine. He was on one of their ships!

At least from here he could somehow escape on his own. He could lure them into a deal. It was somewhat of a handicap that he still had not gotten his voice back but that would certainly not reveal itself as too great an obstacle.

Another tuck at the clasp around his neck and again the metal edge ran through his flesh. Was this how they treated guests?

Finally they arrived in a big room lined with machines and strange lights. This was where the army's movements were coordinated, where their leader composed his plans to spread darkness and chaos.

A dark figure came towards them and Loki found himself standing once again before Malekith. Bile rose into his mouth and his muscles twitched with that one consuming desire to kill. He did not realise he had taken a step forward until he choked from yet another sudden pull at his shackles.

A hiss escaped his dry lips at the pain and he halted his breath in anticipation.

Malekith watched the display nonchalantly, solely subtle disgust plastered on the pale surface of his face.

"Your actions have earned you a reputation around the Nine Realms, Jotunn." The Accursed's voice resounded from the cave-like walls in the common tongue.

Loki kept quiet. Not that he had any other option either way, but he was sure that it was safer for the moment to refrain even from thinking. That is, until he knew enough to think of a plan to get out of there.

Malekith did not seem to bother with the silence that met him. "I know that your tongue has been silenced by Asgard's king." A tilt of the head. "But I know your mind to be just as sharp."

Loki raised an eyebrow. Of course he was aware that Thanos was listening. He could sense his presence in Malekith's widened pupils. The elves of Svartalfheim were a proud race, too proud to collaborate with anyone. The same question that had haunted him for days again sparked his curiosity. What had Thanos offered them? I did not know my tale had become so renowned.

The sarcasm in his tone was ignored. "There is not one creature left in the universe that does not desire your death."

I can't see why. After all I only wanted to bring peace to the branches of Yggdrasil. His lips cracked as they twisted into a sneer. Again his try at irony went unanswered.

Malekith began to walk around his prisoner and his three gaolers. "You failed in each of your enterprises. You brought shame upon yourself. You are a coward, a failure."

Loki was growing more than just annoyed. His patience was wearing thin, but he should be damned before he let Malekith know the effect his words, nay, his mere existence had upon him. I think I deserve some acknowledgement. My plans after all had potential.

It seemed nothing he said was really registered by the elf for Malekith went on. "No one has any use for you now. Thanos wants you gone, but he still believes you could be of some use. The pleasure of making you pay for your disappointing him and the Chitauri race falls to both of us."

He thought he had not heard correctly. Since when did the Accursed act in the service of others? What is it to you? That the Tesseract was lost to the Avengers was not within my control. Perhaps if Thanos had given me some assistance instead of watching from afar without bothering to even lift a finger then the outcome would have been different.

Loki's knees gave way under his weight as Thanos' presence inside his head melted his senses away. He could neither think nor breathe as the fire behind his temples seemed to tear his flesh apart. Thanos' wrath was like acid flowing through his veins, spreading to his whole body. The pain made him numb to everything else around him. His lips were parted in agony and his muscled strained in an attempt to regain control over himself.

Faintly he heard laughter, but he was not sure if it came from Malekith, his faceless servants or the creature inside his head.

The Accursed ordered something in the elven language before turning his back to the pathetic man who had once been called prince. The universe must be cleansed from such weak creatures.

Two days went by. Two days with no news of either the Dark Elves or Loki. Court life was returning to its usual routines, or at least what could be called usual under the present circumstances.

One question had captured everyone's mind – How had Malekith managed to outwit them all?

"I spoke to Heimdall yesterday. "Thor spoke one evening. "He cannot see the elves or their vessels. Their magic makes them invisible to his gift."

"What about Loki?" Fandral asked.

"He too is shielded from Heimdall's sight." Thor seemed to want to say more but decided against it.

None of them had mentioned the Aether and no one was particularly willing to refer to it now, but they were nonetheless aware of the matter's urgency. Only few knew of the Power Gem's existence or in fact its presence in Asgard, but now that the two realms were at war Thor was not sure how much longer they could lie to the people.

The God of Thunder let his eyes travel the room, tired and sober. "I fear we cannot trust him any longer."

"Who? Loki?" Fara was already feeling a guilty tension creep up her spine when she saw the graveness with which Thor shook his head.

"Heimdall."

"What?"

"Speak your thoughts or I´ll call you mad for suggesting Heimdall is disloyal to Asgard." Fandral intinctively let his fingers clasp around his sword's handle.

"You have not seen him for a while. His eyes for one...they´re blue. What other explanation can there be but that he's under a curse?" The words left his lips with obvious reluctance. "I fear he is under Malekith´s influence for he can see neither the Dark Elves nor their ships. How else can we explain the change in colour? His inability to watch our enemies? The man is not in his right mind. Believe me when I say that we can no longer rely on him."

"They certainly would have had found enough time to do so before their attack." Fandral let himself sink back into his seat with a heavy sigh. "We have evidence that they infiltrated the palace days earlier."

"Odin can no longer deny that we must act." Sif stood as if she already could feel the soft earth of a battle field beneath her feet. "With every day that passes the chance to find Malekith grows slimmer. Now we can still go after him."

"And leave Asgard defenceless? What point is there in leaving the realm if there is no guarantee for either its safety or our survival?" Thor moved closer to her, aware of her eagerness for vengeance and softened by the obvious swap in roles. "Since when do I have have to remind you of the consequences of rashness?" He raised his eyebrows, a llight twitch around his lips softening his hardened features.

"You are right." Sif spoke with a clear voice in a way that lifted the mood with its flowery irony for the four men and Sif were reminded - and if only for a second - of better times, more adventures and less worries. Fara did not miss the sad glimmer in Sif's eyes, holding secret memories and thoughts that would never cross the border of the beautiful warrior's lips.

"So what do we do now?" Jane asked, shifting on her chair with fidgeting fingers and a voice raised with annoyance. Since her arrival she had tried to be accepted by Thor's friends, but she could not get rid of that strange feeling that came every time she saw Sif. She felt a pang every time she became witness to the familiarity between Thor and the stunning dark-haired woman. She had never been the overly jealous type, yet the strange feeling persisted and refused to leave her thoughts.

Thor turned to Jane then and embraced her tightly, admitting he did not know. "If only we knew what Malekith is planning next." Jane's set jaw relaxed, if only a little.

Fara was not the only one who did not miss the tension around Thor's lips every time he talked to Jane or the slight tremble in his fingers when kissing her. Malekith may have been defeated for now but he would return. And then nothing would keep him from destroying Asgard to the last column. Jane was the living reminder of the danger.

Jane too had noticed Thor's distant demeanour and it had been during one night that Fara heard her soft knocking on her bedroom door. The astrophysicist had apologised for the late disturbance, but Fara had ignored the remark and hurried at her to come inside.

Together they had sat down upon the giant bed. At first their conversation had revolved about pleasant nonsense, but the Vanir had not missed the tinge of regret in the mortal's gaze.

"It was my fault." Jane then said after a short pause. "It's because of me that Thor's mom had to die. I mean...if it wasn't for me then she could have hidden or run."

Fara listened as she explained to her the queen's plan, how Frigga had tried to hide her from Malekith and so put herself in danger. The seeress listened and kept quiet, all the while burdened with similar thoughts – had it not been for Fara, Loki would have made it in time to safe the queen. But she said none of that to a distressed Jane and felt horrible because of it. She knew she was being a hypocrite, speaking comforting words to the mortal woman whilst giving herself the fault for something she knew deep down she could not have averted.

"I can't stay here any longer." Jane exclaimed.

"What?"

"I'm done. That's it. If I stay here Malekith will kill the rest of you as well. I can't allow that. I-"

"Jane!" Fara stood up and looked at her with mortified eyes. "You can't leave now! You have to remain in Asgard until we find a way to help you and defy the Accursed."

"But that's the thing! There is no way to help me. I'm stuck with that thing inside of me and the only one who knows how to get it out is that elf."

"And what do you propose? We can't let you leave. Do you think Malekith won't find you if you hide in one of the other realms? He will track you down no matter what. It is only that here we can protect you."

Jane threw her hands up and shook her head. "I'll be dead before long either way. What use is it to put all of you in danger for something that will happen no matter what?"

"No there is a way. Loki-" Suddenly a thought came into her mind. Actually there were several, but one particular practically pulled at her attention. It was an irrational idea, completely farfetched and utterly crazy, but what else was there she could try?

"Fara?"

Maybe it was a dead end, but what if not? What if it was the right track?

"Fara?" Jane stood right in front of her, face still flushed from their argument. With worried and confused eyes she looked at the Vanir. "Fara, did you have a vision? You were going to say something about Loki?"

That woke her from her haze. Her gaze flew to the mortal and she could feel hope spreading its wings inside of her. "I think I have an idea."

"What are you talking about?"

"Follow me."

"What? Like that? Where?" Jane seemed utterly confused. Her gaze went down Fara and then herself and the Vanir noticed that they both were clad only in their night shifts, Jane wrapped additionally in a soft shawl to keep her warm. Fara clicked her tongue, fetched a dressing gown from her trunk at the foot of her bed and motioned Jane to follow her.

"What the-?" Jane only stared at the other woman's form disappearing into the dark hallway before she could bring her feet to follow her. To say she was confused did not efficiently sum up her current state.

Fara all but ran down the corridor and Jane had to hurry to catch up with her. Their steps resounded loudly in the darkness.

"Where are we going?"

It was only for sheer luck that the mortal did not crash into Fara's back when the latter suddenly came to a halt. "Hey!"

"Shhhh, be quiet!" Fara hissed quietly. She motioned behind the corner and a moment later Jane could hear the voices of two guards coming their way, the banging of their armour giving them away in the dim light.

"Stay still. I've never used this spell for two before."

"What spell?" Golden threads of heat sprung out from Fara's finger tips and enveloped the two of them in warm light before fading away. Jane looked around but all looked the same. Fara must have sensed her question rising for she spoke next with a warmer tone. "They can't see us now. We don't have to worry to be detected by anyone."

"We're invisible?" Jane was answered by a quick nod. "Uhm, wow. But...why should they not see us? What are you planning to do?"

Fara paused for a moment. The hope that still warmed her from the inside flickered like the flame of a candle. She knew her idea could be futile and if that was the case she did not want to cause a commotion for nothing. She did not want the others to hear about this if she was wrong. But somehow she could not bring herself to explain that to her companion. Instead she just hesitated, her lips parting and closing undecidedly.

"Wait and see." Then she turned around and hurried on, leaving a dumbfounded Jane two steps behind.

It was only after a while when Jane recognised the path Fara was leading her through. They were heading to the library. And sure enough, sooner than later its heavy doors came into her sight.

"What are we doing here in the middle of the night?" Jane asked again, a little bit out of breath, but still feeling a deep excitement.

Fara conjured up another streak of light and it wrapped itself around the door handle, pulling the wooden pane open without making a sound and closing it in equal silence after Fara hurried them inside.

A third spell flew up towards the ceiling and a moment later the room was illuminated by the lights of the mighty candelabra hanging above the collection of books and scrolls.