"This is the land that once housed great men, famous warriors who's names were sung for many lifetimes?" Loki asked, looking around the city. Jane sighed and Eric looked concerned.
"Did we just imagine him magicking up a clone of himself?" Eric asked, quietly to Jane, his voice no more than a whisper. He was beginning to have his doubts about this whole thing - especially when Loki started to talk about the older times.
"I assure you that you remember correctly," A voice suddenly said behind them and Loki placed a hand on the back of each scientist - Darcy gave a laugh at the shock on their faces. Loki had been standing in front of them only seconds ago.
"You're going to attract attention." Jane warned.
"You mortals see only as much as you want to see and I can tell you what you want to see with less than a flicker of my fingers," He smirked, holding up a hand and flickering his fingers to make a point. A lamp seemed to become a snake but no one other than the four of them took any notice. With a wave of his hand, it resumed it's usual metal state.
"Right, where exactly was it you wanted to go?" Darcy asked, having got a map of Norway up on her phone.
"No doubt the name has changed. It may even be that it has changed in appearance if magic has failed to protect it. But in my time it was known as Vel Við Tivar." Loki commented and he received some confused looks from the mortals.
"Is that Norwegian?" Darcy asked.
"It was the tongue of that time."
"What does it mean?" Eric asked.
"Well to gods. It's a well entwined in a tree, an ash tree. And deep within the well, the mighty ash Yggrasil has a branch that feeds from the frozen waters," He explained, looking around. There were no familiar landmarks.
"How do you spell it?" Darcy asked, looking at her phone.
"Wunjo ehwaz laguz-" Loki started but he was soon interrupted.
"What?" Darcy asked, looking completely clueless.
"I am giving you the names of the letters," Loki said.
"Don't look at me," Eric said as Darcy's eyes moved to him.
"Me either," Jane added hastily as Darcy's mouth began to open. She sighed and then looked around, realising that Loki and continued on walking. They hurried to keep up with him.
"Is there no end to this settlement?" Loki asked with eyes searching for an end, for something that he would recognise.
"It's a city, it's just very large." Jane explained, following Loki. "How exactly will Vel vith T..." She paused, struggling to pronounce the Norse. "the well help you get back to..." She shot Eric a look and he mouthed 'Asgard'.
"...As..gard?" Loki sighed and cast a spell to keep the other mortals from watching or listening. No one came within two metres of the group. Darcy looked around as a large circle cleared around the group and raised her eyebrows.
"Didn't you hear me? Yggdrasil has a root in the well," Loki explained and Jane shot a lost look at Eric who was beginning to grow tired of explaining all the Norse things that Loki neglected.
"How'd you spell that?" Darcy asked, on her phone. "Without all those weird Viking name things."
"It's the world tree," Eric explained and Darcy hurriedly typed at her phone.
"Ah, that's how you spell it. Nice word." She commented, looking through her phone. "Apparently some guy hung himself on it,"
"I find your ignorance of history offensive. The Aesir who hung himself on the tree was my father, King of the gods." Loki commented.
"Why did he hang himself?" Darcy asked. "Doesn't seem very wise."
"To get knowledge that only the dead may know." Loki replied simply, taking the form of a bird and shooting straight into the air.
"But how does this explain the travelling between worlds?" Jane asked, raising her voice as Loki flew away. She was unsure how a tree could be linked with an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, unless it was a complicated wormhole that lead to many different locations, but that wouldn't make much sense. She frowned and jotted it down anyway, pulling out the book that she always kept on her at all times.
"Hey look, he's found something," Darcy commented, straining to look up at the sky. Jane's gaze flung up and she cursed, noticing the retreating form of the small bird in the sky.
"After him!" She said, hurriedly starting to move, keeping in line with the bird.
"Jane, you can't be serious?" Eric asked following her. He had figured they wouldn't make much or any ground with the god. Having seen the man's magic, he had remembered the stories of the gods. They were to be respected and feared. Not beings that could be bargained with.
"I'm not giving up this time. I'm not letting this go." Jane said, her voice determined. Darcy followed.
Loki had spied the world from above and now he was making use of it. Some features remained the same and for the first time, he knew where he was. There had been a small village here when he had last visited. A village that was fortunately only mils from the well that he needed to get to. He believed that the well had to be out be about a League and a half out. If on foot, he would have expected to make a stop after the first League but in air he could make lighter work of the distance.
Using the air currents, Loki moved forwards, covering distance with great speed. With his improved sight, he could see the three mortals following him, trying to make their way through the crowds. As if they stood a chance.
Or maybe they did.
He paused, hovering as he caught sight of the quickly coming thunder storm. It was coming straight at him and he turned his head, trying to get a good view. The storm was getting closer at an increasing rate. He flew forwards, uncertain. Storms were his brother's domain and thunder rolled across the clouds. Lightning flashed and Loki dived as rain started to pelt at him.
Regaining human form, Loki moved under shelter and glared at the sky. Why was his brother doing this?
"Why did you take off like that?"
Great, the mortals had caught up.
Loki looked at them with cold eyes and Jane took a step back in fear. Eric and Darcy caught up and dived under the shelter.
"This storm's sudden," Darcy said, pulling her coat around her and shuddering.
"We should find somewhere to rest, we're not going anywhere with this weather," Eric said, panting and gesturing towards the rain. It was turning into a white-wash; they could scarcely see three foot in front of them.
"I need to get to Vel Við Tivar." Looking out at the storm, Loki spoke, barely looking at the mortals. With cautioun, he moved outside of the shelter and took a few steps into the pouring rain. Thunder growled in the sky and Loki picked up the pace. Jane took a few steps outside, following. Suddenly the thunder grew deafening and Loki shot back under the shelter as lightning hit the ground where he had been standing. Jane stood frozen in shock until Eric pulled her back under the shelter. In the few seconds that they had been outside, the two had become drenched and their clothing clung to their forms.
"Well, that was spooky," Darcy commented. "There's a hotel just around the corner." She added, lifting her hand off the phone.
"Hotel sounds good," Jane said, looking towards the trickster god. He looked fairly pale.
"Loki?" Darcy asked, noticing how he hadn't moved since escaping the lightning shot. He blinked and unfroze.
"It seems that my brother is angry with me, or else wants to prevent my return," He said calmly.
"And he would be?" Darcy question and Loki gave a sigh.
"Thor, god of Thunder, popular among your farmers." He explained, creating an illusion of himself out in the rain. The thunder built up and suddenly lightning hit the illusion. It flickered but remained and with a flick of his hand, Loki removed it.
"What did you do?" Darcy asked, giving an exasperated look. "Steal his... what toys do Norse gods have?"
"It's something a lot more concerning than that," Loki said, staring out at the storm.
"What, then?" Jane asked, concern in her voice.
"This doesn't effect you," Loki informed her.
"I think it does. We've paid for you to fly you all the way out here and now we may be struck by lightning. This does effect us," Jane argued and Loki shrugged.
"You didn't have to fly me here. You volunteered. And it's me who is likely to be struck by lightning, not you."
"Then what are you going to do. Stay here until he grows bored?" Darcy asked and Loki let out a slow breath. The mortals took so long to understand anything.
"Your assistance has been of use, mortals," Loki said, giving a nod of his head. "You shall be fortunate for your help."
"Hang on, you're not leaving us," Jane said but it was too late. Loki seemed to have multiplied and they all set off in different directions.
"Loki!" Jane protested, looking frantically between them.
"Jane, give up. We can't go chasing myths. Let history lie." Eric said, grabbing her arm. She gave him a desperate look.
"I'm not giving up," She pulled her arm out of his grip and ran after one of the forms, ignoring the building thunder.
"Jane!" Darcy called but the astrophysicist would not listen.
Jane realised that she was not alone in pursuing the god, Darcy and caught up with her and Eric was not far behind, having managed to get out an umbrella.
Loki ran through the rain, thoughts filling his mind. Something was wrong, he could feel it in his blood, taste it in the air. How did he not notice this before? He was not what he was, he was meant to walk another path. And so was Thor. It was driving his brother mad and Loki stole a glance up at the dark sky. The mortal, Jane, was following him. He would need her, he realised. Some deep and hidden part of him whispered this to him. With Jane he could manipulate his brother. For now, he needed to get into the forest and out of sight.