Loki jumped as a jet of flame shot into the sky nearby. The fiery, tumultuous terrain of Muspelheim had him on edge. It was the first place that he feared he could die simply from the ground opening up beneath him. He much preferred an enemy that he could reason with.

Wiping away the sweat from his brow, he steeled his nerves and continued forward. Heat permeated through the dark basalt at his feet, traveling through his boots and making each step uncomfortable. He began to understand why Surtur was always so irritable. He had only been there for ten minutes and he was ready to invade Asgard just to get away from the desolate land.

Besides the raging fires and flowing magma, Loki was disappointed to see that there wasn't much too Muspelheim. The jagged black rocks and mountains that jutted up seemingly in random spots were hardly worth looking at. The promised demons that he had been told rampaged through the land were nowhere to be seen.

While he knew he should be happy that he hadn't come across any demons, he did rather want to see one. If the stories he had read in the books in Asgard were any indication, he was certain he could have some fun with them. Visions of the devious tricks he one day hoped to play on the murderous demons danced through his head as his pace slowed to a casual stroll.

A sharp pain snapped Loki out of his thrilling daydream. A sharp burning sensation spread across the back of his head, causing him to jump in shock. He turned and saw a glowing red stone sitting on the ground behind him. His eyes narrowed as he carefully searched for whoever had thrown it. Besides a few plumes of fire, there were no signs of movement anywhere in the desolate land.

Rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head, he slowly turned back. No soon had he taken a step, he heard the rattling of rocks. Quickly, he stepped to the side. As he expected, another glowing hot stone skittered past where he had just stood.

He whirled about once more, intent on finding whoever had been throwing the rocks. Just as before there was nothing to be seen. The same barren landscape greeted his searching gaze.

Loki couldn't help but smiling as he looked all about. He couldn't help but admire the simplicity of the trick. He had done the same many times before, but the burning rocks were a nice twist. He knew he'd have to remember that for the next time Volstagg insisted that he clean the stables.

"Very nice!" Loki shouted appreciatively as his unseen tormenter.

"Thank you!" a high-pitched voice answered back from immediately behind him.

Startled by the sudden response, Loki scrambled away from the voice. Normally as surefooted and nimble as anyone in Asgard, he desperately struggled to keep his balance as he inelegantly moved.

A most curious sight greeted his eyes as he straightened himself into a more dignified stance. A small ball of flames seemed to be hovering unnaturally above the ground. He had seem many unusual things since entering Muspelheim, but this was certainly something new.

"Boo!" a voice called out from within the flames. At once, a face seemed to form out of the shapeless inferno. Two small eyes and a wide, grinning mouth appeared on its surface.

Loki watched in delight as the face took shape. "You're the one that threw the stones, aren't you?" he asked excitedly.

"Of course not!" the small flame replied indignantly. "I'm just a flame. How could I have thrown stones at you?"

"You happen to be a flame that can think and talk," Loki offered in return.

"Good point," the fire said quickly. "Yes, it was I, the great Luno, who threw said stones!" he answered proudly as he flailed about tendrils of flame that Loki could only assume functioned as arms.

Loki laughed as he watched the comical little sprite dance about in front of him. "Are you by chance a demon?" he asked curiously.

The flame recoiled at the question, its makeshift eyes growing wider. "I should think not!" The creature seemed offended by the mere suggestion that he might share blood with them.

Loki stamped his foot in frustration as he visibly began to pout. He had hoped the frivolous creature had been one of Muspelheim's famed demons, but the new didn't surprise him. The odd creature was nothing like the pictures and stories that he had read. He somehow doubted that the land would have the reputation it had if it was simply inhabited by things like Luno.

"Why would you want to meet one of those things?" Luno asked curiously as he watched Loki's reaction.

Loki simply shrugged as his smile returned. "I thought it would be kind of fun. The big mean ones are always the most fun," he explained with a mischievous grin.

The small ball of flames began to roll erratically through the air as it laughed at Loki's answer. He eventually came to a stop upside down. "I like the way you think!"

"Ever been to Asgard?" Loki asked as his grin grew wider. "Some of those uptight Asgardians are just asking for it."

Luno shook in what Loki assumed was his way of shaking his head no. Loki's eyes went wide as a bout of inspiration struck him. "You should come with me then! I can show you what we do for fun back home."

Luno grinned a devious grin that Loki knew all too well. "Really? Let's go!"