Chapter Two: Wagers
.o.o.o.
"I thought I'd gotten rid of you," Leah huffed.
"It's great to see you too, Leah! Look, I'm Daimon's sidekick now!" Loki said. "And I haven't been kidnapped or almost killed yet, either!"
"Lay off the e-comics," Daimon told him.
"Oh, fine," Loki said. "Anyway, we were wondering if Hela would let us use Hel to get to a Hell Lord's domain—is that all right?"
"…I see you're as suicidal as ever," Leah said. "Follow."
"This place looks happier than I thought," Daimon mused.
"Lady Hela was recently married," Leah said. "The Hel-Valkyries haven't taken down all the decorations yet."
"How's Tyr taking to marriage?" Loki asked.
"Loki, no small talk," Leah huffed.
"Okay," Loki muttered, folding his arms.
"Come on, give him a break—he's missed you," Daimon said.
Leah sighed and waved for Loki to talk. He proceeded to do so until they were almost directly before Hela and Tyr, mostly about simple, kiddie things and nothing to do with the mission.
"Loki," Hela drawled. "And a guest."
"Hello, Hela," Loki said sheepishly. "We are most sorry to intrude, but we were hoping to ask the smallest of favors from you."
"Leah is not to leave Helhiem, Loki," Hela said sharply.
"All…right…" Loki said. "But may we please pass through Helhiem to get to…what's it called?"
"Moloch's place doesn't exactly have a name," Daimon said.
"Well, there," Loki said, shrugging. "We have business."
"Hopefully this business won't snowball like your last business did," Leah said.
"It probably should not," Loki said glancing at Daimon.
"It won't," the Son of Satan confirmed. "I just need to chat with the guy."
"Then you would go directly," Hela said.
"You do recall that she has quite a bit of experience with the past me, yes?" Loki asked.
"He took the souls of some kids who aren't actually dead," Daimon said. "I need to chat with him about that."
"And you wish to use Helhiem as a backdoor," Hela said. "Lovely."
"Look, yes or no?" Daimon asked.
"Directness may not be the best thing," Loki cautioned.
"Or at the very least brashness," Hela said. "You will not tell Moloch of how you entered his realm."
"Of course not," Loki said. "We will say we came through Daimon's, naturally."
"And why didn't you?" Hela asked.
"Because I need something else," Loki said. "Something I think you will like very much."
.o.o.o.
"So this is Moloch's realm. Ick," Loki commented as they continued through.
"The guy's all about the sacrifices," Daimon said, casually blasting a fiend that got too close. "Of course it reeks."
"I see," Loki said. "Now, what is your plan?"
"Don't you have one?" Daimon asked.
"Oh, yes, but as the sidekick, I must defer to you," Loki said.
"I plan to go in there and make him cough up those souls," Daimon said, his trident materializing.
"…Can you do that?" Loki asked.
"If I can't, we'll defer to your plan. Which is?"
"A bet," Loki said. "Moloch is generally known to have issues regarding Mephisto, and there is no soul Mephisto currently wants more than mine."
"So Moloch would want you to show him up," Daimon said. "And how will you win?"
"I'd rather not say," Loki said.
"You don't know."
"No. I'd simply rather not tell you," Loki said. "Is that him?"
"Yup. Big Ugly himself," Daimon said, striding towards the gargantuan demon on the black throne. "Hello, Moloch."
"The Spawn of Satan," the demon greeted, blood dripping from his grotesquely huge mouth. "and a snack."
"Touch the kid and the next thing you eat will be your own intestines," Daimon said flatly. "Of course, I might do that anyway if you don't free those souls you got from your crazed followers in the Rockies."
"Whatever do you mean?" Moloch asked, still hungrily eyeing Loki.
"Daniele Johnson, Marcus Tripps, Abigail Brenson, Dick and Jason Drake, Aberforth Adams, and Katie and Jessie Middleford," Daimon said stonily.
"Ah…perhaps for a better meal?" Moloch asked.
"You're not eating my sidekick, you're giving up the kids," Daimon said.
"Of course, one can see why you'd like to eat me," Loki said, seeing this was going nowhere. "After all, who wouldn't want to dine on the soul of the little godling Mephisto hates above all?"
"Ah…little Loki," Moloch chuckled.
"Sadly, as I am such a fine meal, I am clearly equal to all eight," Loki said. "Do you gamble, Moloch?"
"Kid," Daimon said warningly as Moloch looked rather interested.
"How about it?" Loki said. "Winner gets the souls. Hell's most-wanted kid for those eight you've got."
"Be careful," Daimon warned. "Moloch's not at deal-happy as Mephisto…"
"Do you accept?" Loki asked, ignoring Daimon and giving Moloch his most winning grin.
Moloch reclined on his throne. "And how shall this battle proceed, little one? A game of wits would fall to you, and a game of strength to me."
"Then perhaps a third sort of game is in order," Loki said. "One which requires no mediator or outside influence, as it is designed for two warring sides."
"Go on," Moloch said. Daimon was giving Loki a worried look—what could the kid possibly come up with that would work to his favor without Moloch noticing?
"Grand. I suggest a most excellent mortal game," Loki said. "It is known as checkers!"
"Don't you mean chess?" Daimon asked quietly.
"Oh no, checkers is far more appropriate for this situation," Loki said. "You'll see. Would you like to familiarize yourself with the rules, Moloch?"
"I know them well enough, boy," the demon said. "Let the game begin."
.o.o.o.
Checkers. Checkers. Daimon wanted to smack the kid.
Not only was it way too up in the air for his liking, but really? Checkers for fate? Everyone knew you used chess or cards. There were rules for these things…somewhere…
Loki and Moloch seemed to be about equal at the game. Moloch wasn't the craftiest of demons, but this wasn't exactly the hardest of games.
Daimon thought back to Loki's comment on the rules…was there some bizarre rule Loki was going to invoke? Or was the kid just trying to set Moloch at ease?
"Damn," Loki sighed as Moloch took three of his pieces in a single jump.
"That is the intent, small one," Moloch said, barring his bloody teeth.
"Uh huh," Loki said, making a move.
"Loki, he can take that!" Daimon hissed.
"Huh?" Loki asked, his hand sliding off the piece. "Daimon! You distracted me!"
"Tempting," Moloch said.
"Required," Loki admitted. "If you have a possible jump, you have to take it."
Moloch jumped the piece with a smirk. "King me, boy."
"All right," Loki said. "Oh, and…" He calmly hopped five of Moloch's pieces and got to the end of the board. "Me too!"
"You set me up," Moloch snarled.
"You said you knew the rules," Loki said.
Moloch went to stand, only for Daimon to tap his trident on the ground. "You agreed to the game, Moloch. For your own sake, keep playing."
"Wretched half-breed," Moloch huffed, moving.
Loki took two more pieces, "Ooh, another king!"
"Kid, we had a deal on mocking," Daimon hissed.
"That wasn't mocking, it was factual and informative," Loki said.
With a second king at his disposal, the rest of the game was quick work. "I think I win."
Moloch ground his teeth. "You little bastard."
"Well, yes, to my knowledge Laufey wasn't the marrying type—Daimon, do you suppose he's down here somewhere?" Loki asked.
"The souls, Moloch," Daimon said, swinging his trident to the demon's neck. "A deal is a deal."
"Should have gotten it in writing," Moloch snarled.
Loki picked up his Starkphone and pressed play.
"So, how about it? Winner gets the souls. Hell's most-wanted kid for those eight you've got."
"Be careful, Moloch's not at deal-happy as Mephisto…"
"Do you accept?"
"And how shall this battle proceed, little one? A game of wits would fall to you, and a game of strength to me."
"Then perhaps a third sort of game is in order. One which requires no mediator or outside influence, as it is designed for two warring sides."
"Go on."
"I can play more," Loki offered. "And I sent the entire file to Leah of Hel so Hela herself now has proof of this transaction."
"That where my phone went?" Daimon asked.
"Yep," Loki said. "Our deal?"
Moloch roared.
"Let him get it out of his system," Daimon advised.
The demon slumped. "You win this round, trickster. But be warned—you now have more than one enemy in Hell…and only a single ally." The eight orbs returned. "Return to your homes, small things. Pray I do not claim you again."
"Thank you for your business," Daimon said. "Come on, kid, I'm getting drunk and you're getting to go to a candy store."
.o.o.o.
Dear All-Mother, Thor, and anyone else who cares:
I have been having a grand time as a sidekick. Daimon and I broke up an evil cult and saved eight kids' souls from Moloch. Daimon said I need to think about what I challenge demons to—apparently checkers doesn't meet the unspoken standards. Hey, I won, right?
Leah, Hela, and Tyr say 'hi'. Hela's rooting for the All-Mother by the way; I think Dani Moonstar has introduced her to feminism. How is that political stuff going, anyhow?
PS: I have found fudge is good in lieu of milkshakes, for those who dislike brain-freeze.
Hugs and mischief,
Loki
.o.o.o.
A/N: And thus ends the first arc! this story will be posted in arcs, similar to a comic, where the stories are both self-contained and building on each other.