Chelsea Grin (17)
Fire and Ice
Loki Laufeyson, Earth's newest Avenger, stood straight and tall on the Empire State Building. He was clad in the full glory of his Asgardian armor. The weight of his helmet felt oddly comforting as he proudly bore the horns that reared over his head. His long green cape billowed gently behind him. He held no weapon. His hands relaxed close to his sides, but they were ready for anything.
There was no turning back now. He will either put a stop to the cataclysm, or end up dying in it.
Back in Canada, Thor summoned Huginn and Muninn. He ignored the Avengers' surprise at the large, talking ravens as he implored their aid.
"Could you show Loki at New York City? These people do not have access to their electronic media to know what's going on. It is much too dangerous for them to come in with their helicopters and cameras. We need your omniscient powers."
Huginn dipped his head. "Of course. We are at your service, my prince."
Muninn followed suit. "Yes yes...your wish is our command."
The ravens took off and circled high in the sky like vultures. They flew faster and faster, until their bodies merged and formed a circle of light. The image that appeared within the circle looked like a hole torn in the sky.
Away from where Huginn and Muninn circled, the image they conjured appeared in the screen of every television and laptop imaginable. People stopped whatever they were doing. They leaned forward, peering at the screen warily. Many recognized Loki, though not in a favorable light.
"Hey, isn't that the crazy horned guy from before?"
"The one who led the alien invasion?"
"Yeah, that's the one. What the hell is he doing there?"
"Get the Avengers to kick his ass again!"
"That son of a bitch's gonna pay for all the people he killed!"
Thor overheard some of these remarks and his fists audibly tightened. Tony patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, big guy. They'll know the truth soon enough."
Bruce pointed to the top of the ravens' image. "Hey, what's that coming out of the sky?"
People murmured in curiosity and apprehension. The Avengers remained silent, though they harbored the same feeling of dread. They knew what, or who, has finally arrived.
Loki looked up, and his stomach clenched at the darkening sky. Black, angry clouds appeared. An ominous rumbling growl from above seemed to shake the ground. Suddenly the air grew hotter. Then a huge beam of white light surged downwards, just a little away from where the Empire State building stood.
The light did not fade. Instead, it shifted into a hulking, humanoid figure. Surtur was utterly enormous. His fiery, hideous face was level with Loki, for he stood almost as tall as the Empire State building. Meeting him personally was far worse than seeing him through the scepter. The Fire Giant reeked of hot ash and sulfur. His eyes were black holes, filled with nothing but malice.
Surtur's deep, mocking voice tremored like an earthquake. "Where are your friends now, trickster? Have they abandoned you so soon?"
Loki mustered the courage to glare back. "This is just between you and me, Fire Giant. I will not let you bring this realm to ruin."
The sinister black eyes narrowed. "Such a bold claim you make," the Fire Giant growled. "I wonder if your supposed excellence in magic can withstand my sheer power!"
Surtur roared a wordless battle cry. Loki shielded himself just in time. The ice that encased his body saved him from Surtur's poisonous breath. Loki vaulted up in the air before the Fire Giant rammed his head into the building. Chunks of concrete and shards of glass exploded everywhere.
'I must not touch him,' Loki thought. 'His skin will burn me to a crisp.'
He jumped off from a large piece of concrete. He hurtled above and behind Surtur. As he fell, he shot shards of ice straight at Surtur's head. The Fire Giant whirled around and merely growled in irritation. His hand lashed out. He swatted at Loki as if he was a fly. Loki cursed as he was sandwiched between Surtur's hand above him and a building beneath him. The combination of ice and armor protected his body, though he felt dazed and bruised from crashing through many floors.
Loki kept his distance and hurtled attacks from afar. Even so, Surtur still towered over him. And he didn't seem fazed by the attacks at all. Loki had to stop so he could save his energy and evade Surtur's retaliations.
He gritted his teeth as he leapt from one rooftop to another. 'I'm using the Casket...the ice should damage him, at least weaken him a little. He's just too damn big.'
"Is that all you have?" Surtur snarled. "Make this a challenge for me! I will destroy you, puny trickster! You, along with this pitiful planet!"
The Fire Giant let loose an onslaught of fiery meteors. Loki ducked and weaved out of the way, heading farther into the city.
Loki's mind ran as fast as his legs. 'I need more power. From an outside source too...if I rely on my reserves alone, I'll tire quickly and my death will be just as swift.'
He conjured a few clones, hoping they would distract Surtur. He watched as flames erupted upon his copies. A doppelganger violently exploded just overhead. He looked up in alarm.
'That could have been me...'
Loki ducked under a highway. He ran through an underground parking lot that connected to a large mall. He wasn't safe for long; fire rained down on the concrete, piercing the darkness with sharp, destructive flashes of light. Cars of all shapes and sizes were tossed up like toys.
"You can run, but you cannot hide!" Surtur roared from above. "I've had enough of your tricks! Come out and face me like a real warrior!"
Loki stopped to catch his breath. What could he do next? He almost succumbed into mindless panic when a hollow drip jerked him from his stupor. A few feet away from him, water leaked from the pipes above to form a dirty puddle below. His eyes widened.
'Of course! Why haven't I thought of it before?'
Cars and building alike shook from the tremors. Plumes of smoke and flame erupted from below. It galvanized Loki into action. Instead of running aimlessly, he teleported resolutely to the rooftop. He made no effort to conceal himself. His intention was quite the opposite.
He cupped both hands to his mouth and called as loudly as he could: "Your face is uglier than the arse of a bilgesnipe! That's why no one is around to see it!"
Surtur howled in anger and stormed after the God of Mischief. Loki leapt from the buildings to run on the streets. He looked back to make sure Surtur was following. He was glad that the Fire Giant had an ego as big as his monstrous body. A meteor crashed so close to Loki that he was thrown up in the air. It was so abrupt that he had no time to conjure a shield. He tumbled and hit the concrete hard. His helmet rolled away and he heard his cape rip. Disregarding his garments, Loki quickly rose to his feet.
'With the rate I'm going, I'll never make it. I need to move faster. And I can't do that with my two legs alone.'
Loki pulled out a small knife. He cut the palm of his hand, drawing blood. Clasping his hands together, he shouted an incantation.
"Kom till min hjälp! Come to my aid! I summon you, Draugur!"
Loki threw his arms wide. The drops of blood became a massive swirl of green fire. Draugur emerged from the flames to serve his rider. Loki leapt onto his back, took up the reins, and together they blazed through the streets of New York. The ashy wind pulled at his black hair. It stung his eyes. Buildings and cars fell over and exploded all around them. Surtur's flames hit the top half of a skyscraper. It fell over with an earshattering groan. Before it threatened to engulf the street and crush them, Draugur vaulted over with amazing strength. He jumped over cars and debris with even less effort. The concrete split as fire spewed from the cracks. Draugur narrowly avoided a sinkhole that would've vaporized them. Like any well-trained war horse, he did not rear, scream or shy away. He raced through Central Park. Loki held the reins tightly and kept his head low. Trees and shrubbery went up in flames and crackling leaves.
"We need to get away from the city!" Loki shouted to his horse. "Take me to the bay nearby!"
Draugur tossed his head and snorted in affirmation. He flew like a great black eagle, his legs a blur as he galloped vigorously and tirelessly. The loud, rumbling footfalls of Surtur weren't too far behind them.
Loki's heart lifted when he saw water in the midst of fire and ashes. Draugur headed straight for Loki's intended destination: Manhattan Bay. The festival site, where he and Natasha had spent the night together, was decimated by flames. His heart sunk at the sight. He was determined to stop Surtur once and for all.
Then Loki rubbed the horse's neck. "You've done well. I will take over from here."
Draugur ran down the pier. He took a great leap off the edge. Then the black stallion disappeared in green flame, leaving Loki to plummet into the waters alone. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. As soon as he hit the water he swam to the bottom. It was deep, dark and cold. But not cold enough.
He extended his arms with open palms. His brow furrowed as he let energy course through his body, reveling in the power and strength he would need. He heard the waters of Manhattan Bay stirring around him. He began to move his arms in a circular motion, manipulating the water with his magic.
'The water is a part of me, and I am a part of it.' he told himself. 'I must accept who I am...embrace my identity as a Frost Giant...a monster!'
Loki moved his arms harder and faster until he seemed to make a maelstrom with his own body. The waters around him moved in a swirling current, increasing in size and strength. His palms closed into fists as the current escalated into a powerful whirlpool. He used the force to launch himself from the bottom. The whirlpool supported his body as he broke the surface. It rose until it was nearly as tall as the bridge.
Loki was drenched and battered, clad only in black pants, frayed gauntlets and an armored sash. He was also blue-skinned and red-eyed, for the whole world and Surtur to see.
Every citizen had his or her eyes glued to the screen, now clearly rooting for Loki as he fought for their sake. They even cheered and watched in awe as he burst out of the water. The Avengers were astounded that, true to Thor's words, Loki was a great fighter in his own right.
Coulson and Hill stared intensely at a Helicarrier monitor. Every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent huddled over a screen, much like how they had witnessed the Chitauri invasion. Tony held Pepper firmly by the waist. Fury stood by himself, his hands folded behind him and his eye fixed on the image in the sky.
But no one looked as tense as Natasha. Unlike Thor, who was animated and shouted encouragements to fight, she remained silent. Clint knew that deep down, she was far from relaxed. The pained look on her face was more than he could bear.
Clint took her hand in his and wrapped it in a warm, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Nat. He's strong. He'll be all right."
She turned and gave him a small, grateful smile. Her eyes returned to the ravens' image. She stared hatefully at Surtur, and at the same time strengthened her faith in Loki that he would be strong and brave enough to defeat that monster. Surtur had little reason, other than satisfying his malevolent pleasure, to come and destroy Earth. Loki had all the more to save it.
The Fire Giant looked surprised for a split second. "A Jotun...no matter. You are a drop of water soon to be lost before my blazing inferno."
Loki smirked. "Not if that drop of water becomes part of a tidal wave."
Surtur launched some fire, only for Loki to counter it with a huge whip of water drawn from the bay. The fires of Muspelheim, collided against the ice of Jotunheim, exploded in a cloud of steam. The flames managed to graze his arms, its heat amplified by the metal of his gauntlets. Loki grunted in pain. He hastily tore them off. He reinforced his arms by encasing them in sharp ice.
He gritted his teeth as he summoned the full power of the Casket of Ancient Winters. Cold...absolute, sheer cold. He felt it engulfing his core, his essence. It was so cold that it burned. The very air condensed into tendrils of tiny ice shards that surrounded his body. Loki clenched his fists. He propelled himself forward with all the strength, power and will he had left.
The onlookers began to gasp and murmur in shock.
Pepper put a hand to her mouth. "Don't tell me he's-"
"He's heading straight for that Fire Giant!" Bruce exclaimed.
"A kamikaze attack..." Steve said in a hushed voice.
Loki was a living comet, streaked white, gray and blue against a sky of ashy black and fiery red. He ignored the blood seeping through his nostrils and mouth as it ran down his chin. He disregarded the burning, protesting screams of his muscles. Surtur's meteors collided and dissolved harmlessly against Loki's swirling vortex of water and ice.
He fired off twin jets of high-speed water. They hit each of Surtur's arms and hardened into ice. The Fire Giant snarled as the water barred him from finishing his attacks. It was only for a moment. But that was all Loki needed.
"Feel the bite of winter, Surtur!"
With the full strength of a sorcerer by trade, a Jotun by blood and a warrior of Asgard by heart, Loki plunged straight into the King of Muspelheim. A scream ripped from Loki's throat as the sheer heat instantly engulfed him. But Surtur screamed louder. Loki drilled farther into the hellish flames to pierce Surtur's heart. A great shockwave emanated from his core. The Fire Giant staggered, his bellows reduced to hissing and screeching. His humanoid form collapsed into a mess of fiery chaos.
"Y-you fool!" Surtur howled. "Your sacrifice means nothing! Even with my death and yours, Midgard will be engulfed in hell! We are two monsters soon to die, nothing more."
Loki managed a weak, bloody smile. "You are wrong. I have friends...and family...and love. I will stop at nothing...until even hell freezes over."
There was no way to stop Surtur other than destroying him from within. If this insured the survival of everything he held dear, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. Faces flashed before him. Faces of all his loved ones. Steve, Bruce, Clint, Tony, Pepper, Jane, Darcy...Odin, Frigga, Thor, and most of all...
He felt his lungs wither and collapse inside his chest. His failing heart wrenched. 'My dear Natasha...I wish I could see you one last time...to die in your arms...I want to feel your lips, not these damn flames, to touch me before I go...'
Frost Giant and Fire Giant descended into Manhattan Bay together. Their fall sent up huge waves and a tremendous splash.
Surtur, the King of Muspelheim, would never rise. But neither would Loki.
'No, it can't be...'
Natasha didn't want to believe it. A few seconds passed. But the waters stilled, and the nightmare seemed to come true.
She tore her eyes away from Huginn and Muninn's image. She ran out of the shelter and down the snowy path as fast as her legs could carry her.
"Natasha, wait!"
She ignored Clint's plea. She kept on running.
Then her feet slipped over the ice and she felt her legs give way. She was in no condition to run for long. Natasha fell to her knees, her shoulders heaving as she tried to catch her breath and suppress her sobs. There seemed to be a never-ending sea of white before her, with unrelenting snow and bitter cold that chilled her to the bone. Sorrow and despair. It all reminded Natasha of the time she had defected from Russia, fleeing for her life across the knee-deep, snowy wastes of Siberia.
She felt so weak...so empty...so alone.
Clint and Steve caught up to her, followed by Thor with Mjolnir and Tony with his suit. Natasha felt the warmth of their hands, saw the mist in the air from their breaths, as they asked her if she was all right. A large shadow loomed over all of them. They looked up to see Bruce, now as the Hulk, gaze down at Natasha with human sympathy in his eyes despite his beastly figure. The Hulk scooped all the Avengers into his hands and ran. Natasha felt his hand envelop her body gently, though she clung tightly onto his green skin as his run broke into astoundingly powerful jumps. She heard that he was capable of covering several miles in a single leap. Now she saw that it was no exaggeration.
Within minutes they reached New York City. The Hulk took no heed of the destruction, nor did anything bar his way, as he headed for Manhattan Bay.
He set them down at the pier and dove headfirst into the water. Thor made to join him when the Hulk resurfaced, carrying something limp, wet and black. The green giant laid it upon the ground with unusual gentleness.
"Oh my God..." Steve murmured.
"That can't be Loki...can it?" Tony said.
"Loki! My brother!" Thor cried. Tears welled in his eyes as he gazed upon the damaged body. Loki was mangled beyond recognition. Though drenched from the water, smoke still rose from the gaping holes that were his eyes and mouth. Little of his black hair remained on his head. Burned patches of skin sloughed off like hot butter.
Natasha's breath hitched in her throat. She placed a hand over what could be his chest. He felt cold, sticky and charred all at once. But she couldn't feel a heartbeat. Not a single flutter. Natasha began to panic.
"He's not breathing!" she choked. "He's not breathing!"
She turned to Thor with wildly desperate eyes. "Please...is there anything you can do?"
Tears ran down his cheeks as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Natasha. I do not know. No one has ever survived an attack from Surtur...let alone slay him. My dear brother has paid a great price."
The Hulk reverted back to Bruce, who looked drenched and defeated. "I can't believe it..." he murmured. "He actually did it. He protected us all."
"Natasha, your scars!" Tony exclaimed. "They're gone!"
She lifted trembling fingers to her cheek and slowly traced it down to the corner of her lip. She felt nothing. Just the skin that felt the same everywhere else. Not a trace of scar tissue...Tony was right. Her scars completely disappeared.
"I don't understand..." she whispered.
Thor's voice was unusually quiet and hushed. "His love for you must've been so strong that it became a sort of healing spell. I don't quite understand it myself. Some magic can be done passively. The process was gradual, almost unnoticeable." He dashed a hand over his eyes, but more tears welled up. "It has grown much stronger, now that he is..."
Natasha felt her heart break. "No...no, no, no!"She threw back her head and wailed.
Pepper, Maria, Jane and Darcy stared numbly at the TV screens, their faces wet with tears. Many people around them were in tears as well. Then they too began to bow their heads...Fury, Coulson, Dr. Selvig, James Rhodey, Happy Hogan, everyone...as they mourned for the man who had saved all their lives.
Even on Asgard, galaxies away from Midgard, Natasha's grief could be sensed by Odin Allfather and Queen Frigga. They were stunned and moved by her immense love for their adopted son. The great hall rang with the sound of Frigga's sobs. Odin was proud...so proud of his son who finally proved his worth in battle. He turned to his ravens, who perched silently at the armrest of his throne. Though they were actually in Midgard, they appeared in Asgard only as projections.
"Huginn, Muninn...tell me...what do you see?"
Even the ravens were quiet and solemn. They bowed heads till their beaks touched their claws.
"We see him...Loki Laufeyson..."
"We see his spirit..."
"It speeds to the glorious halls of Valhalla..."
"The halls that will receive his great, valiant and noble spirit with open arms..."
Odin couldn't bear to hear anymore. He tightened his grip on Gungnir until he couldn't feel his hand. Frigga put her hands on his shoulders as she wept. Odin bowed his white-haired head. He knew it would happen. He had foreseen it long ago. It was why he allowed Loki back on Midgard in the first place. So he could find love and be loved. It still seemed like yesterday he brought back the undersized Jotun infant to Asgard, with twinkling eyes and a wide smile that won the hearts of Frigga and Thor. Now Loki was gone.
A single tear slid from his single eye. "My son..."
Once bent on revenge, Loki had returned to avenge. He succeeded in redeeming his honor and the respect he finally deserved. Loki was a hero. He became what he truly wanted to be, at the cost of his life.
Natasha did nothing to hide her grief. She was tired of hiding. A sob escaped her as she reached out to cradle Loki's head to her chest. Her shoulders shook as tears fell. "Loki, please..." she whispered. "Don't leave me. You can't be dead. Please. I love you...I love you so much..."
Thor wrapped an arm around Natasha and pulled her close, as if she were his own sister. "There's nothing we can do. He is probably in Valhalla now..."
Tony was in shock. He shook his head numbly, as if he had stumbled through a nightmare. Bruce's shoulders slumped dejectedly, and Steve bowed his head in a grave, solemn manner fit for bidding farewell to a fallen soldier. Even Clint was at a loss. A feeling came over him he thought he would never have towards Loki: guilt. He had been wrong about Loki after all. The God of Mischief really did love Natasha; otherwise he wouldn't end up like this.
He snapped out of his thoughts when something caught his eye. He wasn't called Hawkeye for nothing. Everyone stared as Clint knelt down close to Loki's body. He removed his shades and held it close to the black hole that was supposed to be Loki's mouth.
Mist appeared on the lenses. It was faint, but it was there. Everyone's heart leaped.
"He's alive! Loki is alive!" Thor exclaimed.
Natasha thought she was going to faint from immense relief and joy. She was speechless; she merely stared at Clint as if he were a savior.
"Thank God you noticed that, Clint..." Steve said gratefully. "None of us would have."
"The flames of Surtur must've been so damaging that they literally peeled away his skin." Bruce said.
Thor nodded in agreement. "Loki has expended all his energy and magic. He's too weak to revert back to his Asgardian appearance."
"What do we do, then?" Steve asked. "There probably isn't a hospital left to take him."
"We cannot act rash," Thor said. "Loki is in a very fragile state. His Jotun skin is extremely sensitive to heat, and this place is surrounded by debris and fire."
Tony's fist bumped together with his palm in a confident, metallic clang. "I got an idea! How about liquid nitrogen? We can bring in a tank and put Loki inside! He'll be good to go like ice cream in a freezer!"
Natasha glared at him. He shrugged. "Look, sometimes you say crazy shit when you get your hopes up."
Bruce rubbed his chin. "Yes, that might just work."
Tony frowned. "Where the hell can we find a vault big and cold enough for Loki?"
"The Helicarrier has a storage room that contains massive tanks of liquid nitrogen," Clint offered. "I can send for one."
Thor put a firm hand on the archer's shoulder. "Please...anything to save my brother."
Natasha was in no shape to contact S.H.I.E.L.D. with Clint. She remained next to Loki, holding his hand just as tightly as he was clinging onto his life.
Tony and Bruce worked together to make the nitrogen tank accommodated for Loki. They attached a breathing mask, accompanied by an oxygen tank, to Loki so he could breathe while suspended in liquid nitrogen. It was an excruciatingly delicate process. With the help of paramedics, Tony and Bruce very gently moved Loki on a stretcher, directly over the tank's opening. They were quick yet careful with submerging Loki into the nitrogen. The valves immediately snapped shut, so the liquid wouldn't escape.
The tank was wheeled into the Quinjet, and Natasha joined her teammates onboard. Steve and Tony were busy talking to Director Fury over the phone.
The Captain later explained to the Avengers. "All right, everyone...we're taking Loki to the medical center in Ontario. The fire department has just been sent to take care of the wreck in New York. All citizens must remain in Canada until the city's cleaned."
"What about us?" Bruce asked.
"Whatever you want, I guess." Tony gripped the tank as the Quinjet slightly turned. "I plan to check up on the tower real quick. Then I'll probably fly back to Canada to be with you guys, in case Fury wants me for something."
"I will stay with my brother until he gets well," Thor declared.
"I'll stay too," Natasha said quietly.
How in the world was Loki still alive? The answer was obviously beyond scientific rationality. It had to be love. It was love that saved Loki's life and healed her wounds. She felt like such a fool to scorn it before. From that point on, Natasha never questioned its power. It seemed like at the moment, no one on Earth was a more ardent believer of love than the former Russian assassin.
Loki lives! I would be swamped by pissed off readers if I killed him off. He's too awesome to die! Well, technically he did...but Nat brought him back! BlackFrost will always prevail!
I want to wish everyone happy holidays and a merry Christmas! Hope you guys got the presents you wanted...it's okay, I didn't get Tom Hiddleston under my Christmas tree either. My house doesn't even have a tree! xD
