Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Marvel Universe or Disney, The Amazing Stan Lee and Joss Whedon, or anyone else involved with the movies or comics are the ones who do. I am not making any profits from this writing, it is all for the purposes of fun and creative writing
Chapter 20
" WE NEED MORE WATER!"
Fandral's desperate scream barely made it over the chaotic din he was now in the midst of. All around him people were scrambling to get out of the way or rushing forward with pails of water gripped tightly in their hands. Fandral, Sif, Hogun, and Volstaag, along with guards from the palace and civilians were all united as they tried to combat the terrible inferno before them.
It had started out as a typical Asgardian morning with everyone going about getting ready for a new day. Everywhere around Asgard people were opening their shops and taverns and other business establishment for a normal day of work. At one of Asgard's weapons guilds, everyone was getting ready to fashion some new fire cannons that were commissioned to replace a couple of old ones from one of the watchtowers that stood guard at the edge of the city, near the Bifrost. The old cannons had been removed and brought into the guild so that they could be taken apart and used to make molds from which the new and improved cannons would be forged and built.
The workers had taken every single safety precaution they knew of, but they could not account for an tiny, unknown crack within the power core of one of the well-worn machines. They had just taken the outer parts of this cannon off and exposed the power core itself, and that was all it took for Hell to break loose. Through the crack and the outer parts of the cannon not being their to contain it, the energy within the core's glass cylinder erupted out into a massive explosion, a fireball that engulfed the second cannon nearby and caused its core to detonate as well. The guild building was a four story building of stone and wood, and as fire usually did, it spread. It totally engulfed the first level of the building, killing many and injuring many more, and then the flames had risen from one level to the next like a hungry serpent. Now all levels had varying degrees of flame raging within them, but all were burning non the less. Many of the workers had gotten out and dragged their fellow man out with them through the front doors before the flames overtook then, but dozens were still trapped within the building.
Now was the chaotic mad dash to contain the raging inferno from spreading to other buildings, and also prevent more lives from being lost. From where he was frantically passing buckets back and forth, Hogun shouted loudly.
" Keep the water coming, we cannot let it grow any bigger!"
A few feet away, Volstaag was doing the same. Hogun, Fandral, Volstaag, and Sif had been among the first responders and organized the bucket chains that were now helping to put out the blaze, but it didn't appear to be doing much good. From where she had just tossed another bucket full of water at the front of the building in an effort to at least get an entry point for rescuers secure, Sif snarled in frustration.
" Damnit, it's a weapons guild, there must be chemicals inside that only feed the flames!"
From where he was, Fandral saw a small opening amidst the flame. Seizing his chance, the warrior of Asgard ran headlong into the building with two guards following in his wake.
" Fandral get back here!"
Volstaag's order fell on deaf ears as the blond warrior dove through the opening and into the burning guild along with the two other men. They were all wearing armor that would garner some protection, but it was still a raging inferno they had all willingly run straight into. Beside him Sif and Hogun could only curse loudly and continue with the bucket chain.
Then a low clap of thunder sounded over a cloud filled sky that had just seconds ago been completely clear. All eyes turned up in time to see a flash of red as Thor touched down onto the grown with a resounding thud, wearing his full silver armor, Mjolnir sparking and glimmering in his hand, his entire visage one of grim determination. With a purposeful stride, Thor made his way to Hogun.
" What happened?" Hogun shook his head as he kept throwing water.
" From what I heard from some of those who got out, something went wrong with a firing cannon, it blew up for some reason and caused a chain reaction that took the entire building. Fandral just ran inside!" Thor was taken aback.
" What?! That fool went in there?" Sif turned her troubled and frustrated eyes to Thor as he stepped away from the chain of buckets.
" Him and two guards, they saw an opening and took it!" Thor nodded mutely and then readied Mjolnir, as though he were about to take flight and barrel straight into the fire himself. But before Thor could do anything, another roaring explosion burst from one of the upper levels of the building. It nearly knocked Sif over but Thor grabbed her arm at the last moment and kept her from falling.
All eyes watched the building in horror. There were guards from the palace trying to keep the massive crowd that had gathered at bay, many of the people hysterical and desperately trying to get past them, no doubt the family members of the guild workers. These were husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. All had gathered, and all were helpless as they watched the place were their loved ones earned their living was slowly being eaten by roaring orange flames, with said loved ones still inside either dead or very soon to be.
" Fandral!"
Volstaag screamed in fear and helpless rage as his wide eyes gazed at the rapidly growing flames. With a low growl, Thor stepped forward ready to fly into the flames, but then there were gasps and shouts around him, and a light behind him had the Thunderer turning sharply in time to see a trio of swirling columns of bright green fire materialize out of thin air. It was one large column with two smaller columns flanking it on either side. It was seidr, and the kind who's wielder Thor knew full well.
With a low hiss the three columns of swirling green flame dissipated, leaving only a tall, black haired figure and two other-wolrldy creatures. Njord and Jarl shook their pure white fur and then snarled angrily as their glittering red eyes beheld the sight of the burning guild building. Between them Loki stood with his own green eyes hard and determined as he gazed at the inferno with his green and black leathers billowing out around him. Thor stepped forward looking none-too-pleased to see his little brother.
" I thought I told you to stay in the palace!" Loki glared irritably at Thor as he strode forward with Njord and Jarl beside him.
" Right, and let you go in there with hammer blazing so you can get burnt to a crisp? Like Hell that's happening!" Then with a shake of his head, Loki turned his hard eyes to Volstaag, Hogun, and Sif.
" Where is Fandral?" He barked. Sif answered quickly.
" He went inside with two guards my Prince. Then another explosion rocked the building." Loki shook his head in clear displeasure before he turned to his two four legged companions. Both ice-wolves looked up at Loki expectantly.
" Njord, Jarl, clear the doors."
Both wolves turned to the flaming building. Njord growled low and Jarl full on roared as they both gave off an iridescent light around them and shifted forms. There were gasps of awe and shock as Njord and Jarl now stood in their truly formidable ice-guardian forms. With twin roars the ice-wolves bound forward, the people who had been forming the bucket chain quickly dispersing out of the way of the great animals as they both opened their jaws wide and let loose a stream of glowing, bluish-white energy. Everyone watched on as the beams hit the burning building and froze on contact. Many of the outer flames were thus extinguished by the ice-beams that Njord and Jarl were generating. However, the fire was still raging within the building so the danger was in no way lessened.
By the time Njord and Jarl were done, the front doors of the guild building stood frozen on the surface and no longer engulfed in flame, but there was a tell-tale sizzling sound behind them that made it clear that the fire still lived.
Loki looked to Thor and nodded. Thor yelled out loudly to everyone as he raised Mjolnir.
" Everyone stand back!"
With a loud snarl, Thor sent Mjolnir flying, the mythical hammer careening towards the frozen doors of the guild building. The moment Mjolnir made impact with the frozen wood and metal, the doors disintegrated into a million pieces. But the moment the shards fell away, there were cries of fear as a roaring flame burst out of the hole that was left. Everyone facing the fire had to turn away from the heatwave the flames gave of, everyone except for Loki, Njord, and Jarl, who faced the blaze head on, the heat that made those around them turn away seeming not to have any kind of effect. When the heat receded a little, Thor, Loki, Sif, Hogun, and Volstaag all stepped forward and eyed the inferno that was blazing within the building, a low hum filling the air as Mjolnir flew back out of the flames and into Thor's waiting hand, cool to the touch and without a single singe on it. Sif eyed the wall of flames behind the hole Thor had created shook her head.
" How do we get inside and not be overcome by the flames? By the Norns, Fandral and those two guards went into that! We have to get in there somehow" Beside her Volstaag shook his head but looked determined. Hogun just looked grim.
" I believe I can solve this dilemma." All eyes turned to see Loki staring grimly at the flames. Thor stepped toward his brother, looking all kinds of pissed off as he gripped Loki firmly but gently by the arm.
" You shouldn't even be here brother, and there is no way you're going in there, that fire's likely to burn us all if we tried." To this, Thor, Sif, Volstaag, and Hogun watched as a humorless smirk turned up the corner of Loki's lips. Then before the eyes of everyone, Loki's pale and fair skin smoothly melted away into deep, cerulean blue while his eyes took on a blood-red hue. Thor felt the distinct chill come off Loki in waves as he revealed his Jotun form to all in attendance, not caring about it in the least. Still smiling, Loki spoke.
" I'd like to see those flames try to burn my flesh brother."
Then another flare up from the fire shot out of the hole Thor had made, and Loki seized his chance to show everyone why he was not so concerned about himself regarding the fire.
" Brother!" Thor yelled as Loki suddenly shot away from his grip and ran towards the flare-up.
The crowds that surrounded the chaotic scene were stunned, first by Loki revealing his true heritage, and then by how the second Prince of Asgard broke free of Thor's grip and ran head-long at the flames that were flaring out of the hole Mjolnir had left, like some demonic serpents tongue. They all watched as Loki came directly in the line of fire. While many cried out in horror that the second Prince was about to be engulfed in the flames, others stood to stunned to speak. Thor was about to cry out and fly straight at Loki to get him out of the way as the flare rapidly descended on Loki, but then everything and everyone went completely still at what happened when the flame actually reached Loki.
The second the flame made contact with Loki, it was like it hit an invisible barrier about a foot away from Loki that it simply could not pass. The flames just stopped dead in their tracks before the second prince. Then Loki raised his hand and seemed to make as if he were pushing something back. That was went everyone say the glittering chips of what appeared to be ice floating about the second prince. With a small snarl, Loki pushed back and all watched stunned as the flames were driven back into the building by the frost Loki was conjuring. Hogun shook his head in stunned disbelief.
" He's driving it back. It can't get past the ice."
Once Loki had basically shoved the flames back into the guild, he turned his determined, blood red eyes to Thor and the three warriors standing beside him.
" My Jotun heritage makes me rather difficult to incinerate. I can create a shield around us so we can be safe while we get everyone out!"
There were looks of awe and hope on the many faces in the crowd as they watched Loki keep the flames from flaring out again. Thor grimly met Loki's urgent gaze, but then he gave a determined nod before stepping forward, Sif, Hogun, and Volstaag behind him. It was as they all approached the Volstaag was suddenly struck with a concern.
" Wait, there are four floors to this building, we're going to have to split up to check them for survivors, how will your ice-shield follow us my Prince?" To Volstaag's question, Loki gave them all a serene little smile as he spoke.
" No problem."
In one fluid motion, Loki glowed with a pale golden energy and then in the blink of an eye, Thor, Sif, Hogun, and Volstaag each had a perfect copy of Loki in his Jotun form standing before them. Each copy of Loki raised his right hand and emitted the same icy-forcefield the real Loki was generating to keep the flames from flaring. Thor and the three warriors each found themselves encapsulated by Loki's ice-shield and it was a surprisingly pleasant sensation. But they had no time to dwell on something so trivial as the original Loki looked to the inside of the building with grim red eyes and the Norns' ring on his right hand glowing slight, no doubt serving as a boost for his magic.
" Follow me inside, I shall clear a pathway in, and then we can split up and get to all the floors."
Thor and the others all stepped forward, flanked on one side by a copy of Loki. Thor then turned to the two massive ice-wolves who were still standing before the flaming building.
" Njord, Jarl!" Both wolves turned at Thor's shout and stood at attention as the Crown Prince of Asgard spoke.
" You two stay out here and keep doing what you did before, freeze the outside of the building and contain the flames, don't let this fire spread to any other building. Alright?" Thor's order was met by twin roars as Jarl and Njord seemed almost to nod in agreement with Thor before they took of running. People cried out in shock and scrambled out of the way as Njord barreled past them down one of the alleyways adjacent to the building, letting loose the ice-beam from his mouth that he and his brother had used to combat the flames before. Aiming at any flame that caught his eye, Njord ran alongside the building. Jarl took off in the opposite direction and leapt onto the roof of a smaller building. From this vantage point, Jarl opened his jaws wide and because firing his ice-beam at the building. There was thankfully no buildings close by at the back of the Guild so Njord and Jarl focused their attentions on the sides of the burning building first. As the crowds watched on stunned, Thor and Loki faced each other, both brothers grim in their determination.
" Lead the way brother." Loki nodded before turning to the hole where the guild doors had been. It literally looked like they were all about to step across the threshold into Hell itself.
With his cobalt hued hands still raised, Loki started walking carefully into the inferno. Behind him, Thor readied Mjolnir and nodded to the copy of Loki that stood beside him, which nodded back before they followed after the original Loki side by side. Sif, Hogun, and Volstaag followed in their wake with their copies of Loki right there beside them. There was a terrified rumble through the crowds as they watched both Princes of Asgard and three of their best warriors walk willing into the raging inferno as Njord and Jarl faithfully did their part to keep the flames from spreading.
" By the Nine!" Volstaag cried in horror, because all around him and his fellows was bright reddish orange that roared like a wounded beast yet had no solid form, it was all flame, and it was everywhere. Thor looked around grimly while the other three warriors started calling out for Fandral and anyone else that was alive on this ground floor. Thor walked to Loki's side, the copy following behind, providing the individual shield as Thor barked over the roar of the flame.
" Loki, see if you can find the stairs." Loki nodded and then gritted his teeth as he sent waves of his ice-shield in various directions, cutting through the veritable wall of flames and providing them with windows to see and assess the damage already done.
Indeed it was a grim sight. On the ground level, where the initial explosion had radiated from, everything was either charred, melted, or well on its way. Destruction, complete destruction, and much to the horror of all, from Loki to Hogun, they could all see the twisted and charred remains of what had once been living, breathing men and women strewn about the room. Those who had been caught in the epicenter of the blast and had not had any chance. It was clear that the only thing left on the ground level of the guild was fire and death. Loki gritted his teeth and closed off his heart as he sent out more waved of his ice-shield to temporarily cut through the fire, and at last he caught sight of the main staircase that let up to the other levels. Thankfully the stairs were made of stone and thus the flames could only lick uselessly at them.
" Over there!" Thor nodded in confirmation.
" Can you clear a path for us brother?" Loki gave a sharp nod before he made a sweeping motion with his hands.
The effect was a swirling tunnel of the ice-shield leading directly to the stone staircase and up it, al the while keeping the flames at bay. Loki turned to his brother and the three warriors and spoke with urgency.
" The shield will go up all the flights of the main stairway, but I won't be able to branch it out by myself, but my copies can. All of you head upstairs, I can control my copies from here and they will make a path of ice as they follow you, so move now!" Sif stepped forward with wide eyes.
" But what about you, we can't just leave you down here!" Loki sent her what he hoped was a reassuring look.
" Lady Sif, I'll be alright, the flames can't get to me, I am the best chance we have of putting this thing out." Loki then turned to Thor, the other listening carefully as he explained.
" Listen to me brother, I can make this shield explode out and cover everything in ice, it'll put the fire out, but I cannot do so now, not while you and the survivors are still in here, otherwise I will end up freezing all of you alive as well. You all need to get somewhere so that this shield I am generating doesn't touch you when I unleash it." Thor looked torn by his brothers words, but then nodded grimly.
" Alright, we'll take everyone up onto the roof, that should keep us safe from the frost, but how will you know when we have gotten everyone onto the roof?"
" My copies, they are my eyes and ears, I will be able to see everything and now when you are all safely out of reach of my frost and then I will take care of the rest, just get everyone out of this building brother!" Thor frowned, before he reached out and cupped Loki's blue neck, his thumb graze Loki's cheek. The brothers shared a determined look before Thor spoke.
" You better be careful." Loki smiled, his blood-red eyes warm and calm despite the dire situation they were surrounded by as he leaned into Thor's hand for a moment before drawing away.
" I will be, you do the same. Keep my copy close, get everyone out onto the roof. I'll try to douse as much of the fire down here as I can. There are four of you and three levels to clear, work fast. " Loki then turned to Volstaag, Hogun, and Sif.
" Find Fandral and the two guards and utilize my copies, they will keep the flames from touching you and will be able to spread the ice-field over anyone you find. I would have all of us get out of here alive." The three warriors of Asgard all nodded to Loki before Hogun spoke.
" We will do our best." Loki nodded before he gave them a lopsided smile before he grew serious and looked to Thor.
" Alright, now go, all of you."
With great reluctance, Volstaag, Hogun, and Sif took off running down the path Loki had cleared for them, the copies of the second prince assigned to them running beside them. Thor and his copy were the last to leave. With a lingering look at Loki, who nodded, Thor turned and ran as fast as he could with hammer in hand, and Loki's copy at his side. Once the other had disappeared up the stairs to the upper levels of the guild, Loki kept one hand raised towards the stairs, keeping the main path open, while he used his other hand to send beams of frost at the flames closest to him. He would have to conserve his energy if he wanted to end the flames in one fell swoop once everyone else was cleared.
Thor and Volstaag teamed up to tackle the floor directly above Loki, Thor using Mjolnir and Volstaag using his axe to smash and chop their way through the timber beams that fell from the ceiling and burning furniture. To their relief, they found one of the guards that had run in with Fandral doing his best to shield a small group of survivors. They were boxed in by some falling timber and the guard had been valiantly chopping at it with his own sword. Thor and Volstaag had followed after their two respective Loki clones as the magical projections of the second prince had cleared a path for them with their frost. Thor and Volstaag had made quick work of smashing through the burning debris to get to the guard and his group. There had been a few stairs at the two Loki clones in their Jotun forms, but when it became clear that it was only through these clones that a passage to safety had come about, the looks became ones of relief and gratitude. Once Thor and Volstaag had herded the workers back down the path to the main staircase Loki's clones had made, Thor looked to the guard who lingered with them, making sure the guild workers all reached the stairs.
" Where is Fandral?"
" My Prince, Fandral dispatched me and the other guard, Tobin to this floor and the one directly above, he said he would trying and get as many people out of the top floors. We have not seen him since. I managed to clear out the majority of this floor but then we got trapped by that fallen beam. Thank you so much for getting to us in time!" Volstaag shook his head.
" Keep the thanks for later." Then he turned to Thor with a look of urgency.
" We need to keep moving my Prince, the floors could give at any moment!" Thor nodded and together with the young guard and the two clones of Loki, they all dashed up the stairs to the next level where Hogun was already herding people urgently up the stairs. There were several wounded workers with Hogun, so it took a bit more time, but with Thor, Volstaag, the two brave guards and the three clones of Loki all pitching in and carrying those who were injured, they made quick work of getting everyone upstairs to the final level of the guild where Sif and her clone of Loki had gone. Thor, Volstaag, Hogun, the two guards, and the three clones of Loki all reached the top floor and were stunned by the sight that greeted them. There, huddled from the flames was a large group of disheveled and soot covered guild workers, many of them wounded with burns and other such injuries. A few were not even conscious. Men and women who cried out for help when they caught sight of the crown Prince of Asgard and his fellow rescuers. Around them was the ice shield Loki's clone was conjuring to protect them from the blaze that still raged. There before a pair of iron doors were Sif, Fandral, and the other guard, Tobin, all of them pulling feverishly at the doors that simply would not budge. Fandral was pulling hard with only one hand, his other arm held close to his chest, clear indication that he had sustained a serious injury of his own. The usually well-kept warrior was now disheveled and sweating from the heat, his dark green cape missing, no doubt tossed aside. There were scorch marks on his clothes, and a telling dent in the armor over the shoulder of the arm he was not using. Still Fandral was gritting his teeth and doing what he could to help Sif and the other guard.
Back downstairs, Loki growled low as he sent waves of ice over the flames that still lingered. He had been able to douse one corner of the ground floor, his ice combating the flames that had been fed with many chemicals that had been throughout the guild. Yet the fire still raged elsewhere and Loki could see that they were rapidly running out of time. With a flash of energy radiating from his eyes, Loki used his magic to seek out the clone he had assigned to his brother.
" Brother, you need to hurry, the damn flames have eaten just about enough to have the interior collapsing!" Loki's clone yelled urgently for everyone else to hear. Sif let out a frustrated yell as she screamed to Thor.
" These doors won't budge, they are the only way to the roof." Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir, his blue eyes hard as they glared at the door. Summoning his power, Thor spoke.
" Sif, Fandral, Tobin get out of the way!" Fandral let out a pained groan as he quickly backed away from the door, Sif and the clone doing the same.
With a loud yell, Thor sent an electrified Mjolnir flying straight at the unyielding doors that were barring everyone's escape. With an almost ear-shattering bang Mjolnir smashed through the iron doors as if they were nothing but tissue paper. Thor was quick to stop his hammer before it smashed into the stairs that led up to the roof, summoning Mjolnir back into his waiting hand. There were cries of relief from everyone as Thor and his group descended on the guild workers. Those who could walk on their own were already dragging someone that couldn't along with them. The most severely injured were taken care of by Loki's clones no less, the literal coolness they exuded was soothing to all as they carried men and women a like. Volstaag being the voluminous man that he was, carried three grown men out with him to the roof while Hogun, and Sif went about herding everyone else through the doors as calmly as they could manage because the last thing they needed was a stampede. Thor grabbed Fandral just as the blond warrior's knees were about to give out on him.
" You should have waited for us fool." Fandral let out a small hiss and smiled apologetically up at Thor.
" Forgive me my prince, we needed to move quickly. Me and the guards managed to get everyone up here but then the doors wouldn't open, and then I didn't get out of the way fast enough when that bulkhead over there fell." Thor turned to see the large log Fandral was talking about before he turned and gave a sharp nod as he half carried, half dragged Fandral to the doorway. Fandral's brow knotted in confusion as he noticed something.
" Your highness, why are there four Prince Lokis', I'm sure I didn't hit my head." Thor let out a small chuckle despite himself.
" Loki multiplied himself, seeing as to how he is Jotun, the flames could not burn him so he copied himself and accompanied each of us to clear a path and protect us from the heat." Fandral's eyes widened at the explanation, but then a coughing spell overtook him.
Thor quickened his pace and once he and Fandral were at the stairs, Hogun and Sif followed close behind, and not a moment too soon as they all heard the floor start to cave-in behind them. Thor felt a fresh wave of terror course through him at this, because there was still one person left inside.
" Loki."
Once Thor with Fandral in hand and Hogun and Sif behind him burst out onto the roof, greeted by the calm warm sun, everyone turned just in time to see the four clones of Loki flicker and disappear in a flash of golden-green light. There was a moment of absolute stillness, and then the building below the feet of everyone gathered on the roof began to shake. Down below, standing alone amidst the fire, Loki stood with his palms facing each other, an orb of whitish-blue energy floating in the space between and rapidly growing in size. Loki chanted rapidly under his breath, his blood-red eyes almost glowing as he pooled his seidr, focusing on his powers as a Jotun. Loki kept going until the orb of energy in his hands reached the size of a basketball and was almost pure white in color. With a loud roar, Loki pulled his palms apart and held his arms out wide as he screamed out a single word.
" FRJOSA!" (means Freeze in Norse).
With a loud whistling noise, the orb of whitish-blue energy burst into an massive explosion that radiated out through the entire building. Outside their were started screams and cries as the windows of the burning building were blown out and a bluish-white light burst out through the open spaces. Before the eyes of everyone in the crowd, the raging flames were snubbed out entirely as the entire building rapidly froze. The only place left untouched was the roof, where Thor and the others were gathered.
When the rumbling stopped, there was another moment of absolute stillness before Thor snapped out of his shock. The Thunderer ran to the stairwell they had used just moments before to reach the roof and stopped dead in his track when he saw that the stairwell, and everything at the other end of it was covered in a solid layer of clear ice. Letting out a shaky breath, Thor found himself smiling as he spoke softly.
" He did it, he put out the fire."
Down below things were just as quiet, only the soft sound of steam and the light crackling of solid ice piercing the awed silence. All eyes were glued to the eerily silent building that had, moments ago been roaring with flames. All eyes went to the empty hole where the doors of the guild had once stood proudly. Then there was a collective gasp as amidst the tendrils of smoke and steam, a tall figure emerged from inside the building. Njorl and Jarl, both still in their ice-forms both yipped and barked as one leaped down from the roof of the adjacent building while the other one trotted out of the alley. Both wolves stood at attention on either side of the hole Mjolnir had left, the light reflecting off of the ice that comprised their fur, lending a prism-like effect that had both creatures seeming to glow with light.
Loki stepped over the threshold into the light, calmly walking out of the building he had just frozen solid. It was an awe-inspiring sight to behold as the second prince walked past his two four legged companions. Loki's skin was a dark cobalt blue, which made his blood-red eyes stand out all the brighter. While he still wore his Asgardian attire, there were bits of frost clinging to his gauntlets and the spaulder over his shoulder. The very air around him was frigid. He seemed so foreboding and immune that the crowd looked upon him in silence, many of them with actual fear in their eyes, but then Loki turned to have a good look at his work and he did something that instantly shattered the image of coldness.
He grinned in sheer relief as he saw that the fire was out and doubled over, bracing his hands on his knees as he huffed out a breathless laugh. The sight instantly put people at ease, even more so when Njord and Jarl both bound forward like a pair of happy pups and started nuzzling and licking at him, despite their own intimidating ice-forms. Loki laughed loudly as he petted his two wolves, the sound silvery and carrying through the air. It was a truly strange sight, two giant wolves that seemed made of ice, and a laughing Jotun wearing Asgardian leathers. But before the crowd could really process this, a loud and familiar voice rang out, laced with joyous relief.
" Brother!"
Loki turned sharply back to the building and looked up towards the roof in time to see a blur of blond, red, and silver careening towards him wielding a large hammer. Njord and Jarl both barked happily, their large tails wagging as they watched Thor touchdown before them with a loud thud. No sooner had he landed, Thor was running forward as fast as his legs could carrying him. Everything Thor had in him was focused on the person he was running to. Loki grinned wide as he held his arms open. The crowds stood silent as they watched Thor nearly knock Loki clean off his feet as he tackled his younger brother into a great bear hug. They were stunned to see that Thor was not frost-bitten at all by touching Loki in his current form as Loki returned Thor's embrace just as tightly.
It was something about this scene that had the crowd finally shaking of the stunned silence. Maybe it was the relief that the fire was out, maybe it was the fact that both princes of Asgard had been the ones to do it, or maybe it was the look of pure joy on both of their faces, especially Loki's Jotun countenance. It seemed to shatter whatever barrier there was because the crowds erupted into cries of relief and loud cheers. Njord and Jarl let out happy whines and nuzzled at both Thor and Loki.
Thor and Loki drew apart somewhat at the loud noise, looking around to see the cheering faces and clapping hands. Both brothers smiled breathlessly at this, but then the smiles just dropped from their faces as they remembered that this whole ordeal was not yet over, far from it in fact. Loki turned his red eyes to Thor and spoke with urgency.
" How many wounded are there? How serious?" Thor frowned and shook his head.
" I counted a dozen, including Fandral. Some of them have burns that are not so serious, but at least five of them are in dire straits. And there is also all the smoke they breathed in." Loki gritted his teeth grimly.
" We need to get them to the palace, our healers are the best equipped to help." Thor shook his head.
" I know brother, but it would take me too long to fly them to the palace. At best I could carry four at a time, but it would be an awkward and unsafe hold. The risk is too great. I'll just have to carry them two at a time." Loki shoot his head and let out a frustrated sigh while Thor turned his worried blue eyes back up to the roof of the guild building. As his red eyes darted about while he thought of possible courses of action, Loki's eyes landed on a large wagon parked in front of a nearby tavern. Loki's eyes widened as an idea suddenly struck him. Loki turned sharply to Thor.
" Brother, I've got an idea, come help me empty that wagon over there!" Thor's brow knitted in confusion but he followed after Loki none the less as the latter scrambled to said wagon and started rapidly pulling out the stuff it was laden down with, barrels of mead and many crates of produce.
Between them, Loki and Thor made rapid work of taking all the items out of the wagon and handing them off to whoever was close by. Once the cart was empty the brothers rolled it closer to the building, Thor still wondering what Loki was planing.
" Brother, what are we supposed to do with this?" Loki looked to Thor and smiled as he replied.
" You forget brother, you are not the only one capable of flight." Loki then took a step back and summoned his seidr. Thor and the rest of the crowds watched on as Loki started glowing with bluish-white energy.
Thor felt a jolt go through him as realization washed over him, he had seen Loki glow with such energy only once before. With wide eyes, he and the rest of the crowd watched as Loki made a sweeping motion with his arms over his head and was engulfed in the bluish-white energy. Within it, they could see Loki's form morph and rapidly enlarge. When the energy finally dissipated, it was no longer Loki standing before them, but a massive eagle with dark blue feathers and blood red eyes. The eagle form of Loki towered well over Thor, almost reaching halfway up the now frozen guild building. Loki gave a small shake of his great head and spread his wings wide. It had been one thing to witness Loki using this magic to escape from Niflheim in Queen Hela's projection, it was a completely different thing to see the form in all its true glory. Loki's eagle form was gargantuan, and absolutely exquisite. When this form had been seen in the projection, there had been a telling exhaustion to the great bird, no doubt because Loki himself had just single-handedly defeated an entire army of undead that had been hell-bent on destroying him. Now though, the sun reflected brightly off of pristine and healthy feathers under which were full and tougher muscles and sinews. Njord and Jarl both eyed Loki in his new form with interest, keeping out of the way and wagging their tails, their ice-fur crackling about them.
But now was not the time for admiring. With an agitated flap of his massive wings that send a large gust of wind straight into the crowd and Thor in front of him, causing many to duck while Thor held his ground, Loki turned his blood red eyes to his brother. Loki startled the crap out of everyone when he opened his massive curved beak and spoke, his voice a low, and deep rumble of the normal version of his voice.
" Fly ahead of me brother, gather the most severely wounded, I'll bring up this wagon." Thor blinked owlishly for a moment before he shook himself out of his shock that his brother was now a massive, talking eagle and gave a curt nod, then he turned to the crowds and shouted as loud as he could.
" Everyone stand back and clear the area, my brother is about to take flight!" Nobody needed to be told twice and the crowds backed away from the two princes. Thor then turned to Loki, sending the massive eagle a breathless smiled before he raised Mjolnir and took flight himself, shooting upwards and getting back onto the roof of the guild where he had left the warriors three and Sif to tend to the survivors. Once Thor had disappeared onto the roof, Loki spread his massive wings and gave them an almighty flap. The gust of wind this caused actually knocked several people off their feet and shattered a few windows on the ground level of some nearby building. The massive eagle rose into the air, hovering enough so that Loki could reached out with one of his taloned feet and wrap it firmly around the wagon. Loki's large, curved black talons dug into the wood, not hard enough to punch through the sides of the wagon like he easily could have, but firmly enough so that when Loki flapped his wings once more and began to rise upwards, the wagon rose with him.
There were excited and awed shouts and cries from the crowds as they watched Loki carefully rise upwards towards the top of the guild, braving the strong gusts of air his wings were causing as he lifted the empty wagon up with him. From where there were gathered one the roof, Thor, Sif, Volstaag, Fandral, Hogun, and those survivors who were still conscious all looked up when Loki, in his massive eagle form, rose up from behind the edge of the roof, the wagon held firmly in the talons of his right foot.
" What in the name of Odin is that?" Fandral asked in wonder. Thor turned to the many stunned faces and smiled as he spoke.
" That, is my brother." There were many gobsmacked looks at Thor's words, including Fandral's.
Loki leaned forward and flapped his wings slowly so as not to blow anyone clear of the roof as he gently brought the wagon down onto the flat stone surface. The wagon made contact with a dull thud. Thor immediately ran forward took hold of it and pulled it the rest of the way to the survivors. Thor then turned hard eyes to Sif, Volstaag, and Hogun
" Gather the wounded and place them in here, Loki will take them to the palace!" No sooner had Thor barked out these orders, there was a mad scramble. Thor and Volstaag went about carefully transporting the five most grievously injured guild workers, while Sif, Hogun, and Fandral despite his dislocated shoulder, helped those who could still walk. Loki had landed carefully on the roof and stood of to the side with his wings folded. He stood tall, clearly dwarfing even Thor, and he watched on with sharp red eyes, ready to render any assistance that he could.
Slowly but surely, the eleven workers who were sporting various degrees of injuries were situated in the wagon. Loki stepped forward, his taloned feet thumping lowly against the roof as he turned his gaze to the twelfth injured person who had not climbed into the wagon. Thor too turned his gaze to Fandral, who still held his arm to his chest and looked pale and ready to collapse at any moment.
" Climb in Fandral. You too Hogun, since you know the healing arts." The others nodded in agreement with Thor, but while Hogun ran forwards and quickly climbed in and started tending to the injured, Fandral frowned as he gazed at the wagon, which surprisingly had accommodated the many injured men and women rather well, it was a bit of a squeeze but not jam-packed.
Fandral looked from the wagon, to Loki, and then back at the wagon with great reluctance shadowing his face. He was about to say that he could wait when out of nowhere, Loki leaned over everyone and was face to face with Fandral, who took an involuntary step back and gazed back at the great bird with wide eyes. The injured blond warrior's eyes widened further when Loki spoke directly at him.
" I understand your reluctance Fandral, but rest assured, my grip will not fail, nor will my wings falter. Make haste, for you are in need of the healers as well."
Fandral blinked and took a moment to steady his nerves before he nodded mutely and hurriedly made his way over to the wagon. With a small groan, Fandral climbed in among the other wounded. Thor turned to Loki.
" Fly fast but safely brother." Loki nodded and spoke quickly.
" I will Brother, you and the others can get down from here by going through the building, it will be frigid, but safe. Bring everyone left to the palace, the healers can check them over." With that, Loki stepped over to the wagon and carefully wrapped his one foot around it, sinking his talons into the sides firmly before he spread his wings and flapped them hard as he took flight.
There were a few frightened cries and shouts from the occupants of the wagon, Fandral himself looking utterly terrified, but Loki then took hold of the wagon with his remaining foot and held the wagon steady between them as he rose into the air and flew forward. Thor watched his brother fly away towards the palace that gleamed in the distance with pride shining in his eyes, a quick glance around had him smiling at the looks of wonder on the many faces. But Thor quickly sobered because they still needed to get off the damn roof and away from this whole building. Thor quickly turned and got work, barking orders and helping Sif and Volstaag guide the remaining workers out of the now safely frozen guild.
Meanwhile, in the skies...
Loki soared through the air, resisting the urge to propel himself as fast as he could, he doubted that the wagon could hold up to such force and he was carrying passengers he couldn't afford to jostle so harshly. Keeping his slightly frayed nerves calm, Loki flew fast but steady. Within the wagon, those who were conscious looked on in wonder, momentarily forgetting their burns and cuts, and in Fandral's case a dislocated shoulder to gaze out at Asgard in a way they had never seen it before, from high up above. Fandral felt his terror from before dissipate some as he gazed down at the many buildings and spires as Loki flew past. But a low moan to his side had the blond warrior turning to gaze upon its source and what he saw had Fandral's heart freezing in his chest. There a few feet away lay a young man against the side of the wagon, his face and hands red and swollen with blisters and burns. But where he had not been burned, this poor soul's skin was a sickly gray and there were tremors violently wracking his body. He looked bad, with one foot basically over the threshold of death's door. With a small curse at himself, Fandral carefully crawled over to the young man. He called out to Hogun, who quickly made his way over, and while Hogun looked the young man over, growing more agitated by the second, Fandral stood up and poked his head through one of the spaces between Loki's long, thin, bird toes and yelled out to the Prince.
" Prince Loki, you must go faster, we've got one man here who's fading fast!" Loki, hearing the desperate cry glanced down to eye Fandral. With a low rumble Loki spoke.
" Tell everyone to hang on." Fandral nodded and quickly ducked back down to convey the message. A moment later, Loki was letting out an angry shriek as he flapped his wings faster and quickened his pace. With grim determination, Loki quickened his pace.
After what seemed like an eternity, the palace came within reach. With another loud cry, Loki swooped down towards the front of the palace where the main doors stood, there were many cries and shouts of terror from his passengers, but Loki paid them no mind, the ride would be over soon anyway. To Loki's silent relief, he could see his mother and Head Healer Eir waiting for him with a veritable army of healers and guards ready to assist. Down below, Eir stood beside her queen, all but gawking at the large eagle that was flying right at them. Frigga however, looked on as calm and collected as ever, a smile of pure bride on her face as she turned to the healer.
" Fear not Eir, for that is my son bringing you those who are most in need of your services." Eir looked back at the eagle in wonder, but braced herself as Loki pulled up and stopped himself from careening head-first into the front of the palace. As gently as he could, Loki lowered the wagon between his talons onto the gravel covered pathway that led to the front steps of the palace. While Eir and her healers and the guard converged on the wagon, Frigga quickly walked passed the scene and made her way towards Loki as the great eagle landed a few yards away. As she came closer, Loki folded his wings and started glowing with bluish-white energy. With a final cry to the heavens, the eagle was engulfed by the energy and within it the form shifted and shrank.
By the time Frigga was within reach, the energy was fading away to reveal an exhausted but otherwise uninjured Loki. Still in his Jotun form, and not really caring about that one bit, Loki turned and smiled with relief as he caught sight of Frigga.
" Mother." Frigga all but ran forward the rest of the way and gathered her son into her arms, squeezing him tightly. Loki let his eyes fall shut and buried his face into his mother's shoulder as he hugged her back, releasing the breath he didn't even know he was holding.
Things became a blur after that, as Frigga whisked Loki away into the palace to look him over herself, his protests and insistence that he was fine falling on deaf ears and neither of them caring about the stares Loki got from a few guards and servants as they rushed past. The healers and guards worked together under Eir's direction, assessing and prioritizing the victims of the freak inferno. They managed to get the five most severely injured workers to the healing chambers in quick fashion. Hogun had helped Fandral get to one of the smaller healing chambers so that the healers could focus on the victims of the fire. Fandral's screams were loud as Hogun had quickly and efficiently reset his friend's shoulder. About half an hour later, things grew even more chaotic when Thor, Sif and Volstaag arrived at the palace with Njord and Jarl, no longer in their ice-forms running along side them, Sif and Volstaag each driving a wagon full of the remaining workers while Thor touched down from the sky with a loud thud and immediately asked where his brother was.
Once a guard told him that Frigga had taken Loki to her chambers, the crown Prince of Asgard took off running with Njord and Jarl fast on his heels. When he reached the doors to his mother's chambers, Thor threw propriety to the winds and barreled right on through, nearly ripping the doors of their hinges. The moment Thor made his noisy, over-dramatic entrance, Frigga, Loki, and Odin all looked up from where they were gathered at one of Frigga's plush sofas. Loki was sitting with Frigga beside him, while Odin was standing on his other side with his hand over his youngest son's shoulder. Loki had reverted back to his usual Asgardian form and looked no worse for wear, if a bit weary from all the energy he had used up over the course of the days harrowing events. Loki wanted to be exasperated at Thor for simply barging in as he had, but the thought quickly left him when he saw the look of sheer, joyous relief that spread across Thor's face as the Thunderer hurriedly made his way across the room with Njord and Jarl barking happily as they trotted in behind him.
" Brother!" Loki laughed as Thor swept him up into another tight bear hug, while Njord and Jarl pawed and nuzzled at the pair. Frigga smiled at the sight, while Odin looked on with a warm indulgence in his eye. If he were to be completely honest, the Allfather himself had been relieved beyond words two see both his sons safe and returned to him unscathed. The brothers hugged each other tightly before Thor suddenly drew back, holding Loki at arms length by the shoulders and scowling slightly.
" You fool, you didn't listen to me when I told you not to come." To this Loki glared back defiantly at Thor.
" You wish you could order me around brother, but there was no way I was going to simply stay here, not when I could use my seidr to help, and I did." Thor nodded at that and sighed in acquiescence before he smiled warming at his brother.
" You were amazing today." Loki felt his cheeks heat up at that, but he shook his head.
" No brother, we all were, especially Fandral. It was quite brave of him to go into the fire like he did." At this, Thor gave a light snort.
" Brave, but foolhardy, he's not fireproof like you are." At this Frigga stepped forward, Odin joining her, mother and father both frowning.
" What do you mean your brother is fireproof?" Frigga looked expectantly between both boys.
Thor and Loki shared a look, knowing that there was no way around it. They would have to tell their parents everything regarding today's heroics. Needless to say, Frigga did blow a gasket when Thor and Loki revealed how the younger brother had transported in and used his powers as a Jotun to literally walk into a burning building, with her eldest following right in his wake. Odin had simply walked away and sat back down on the sofa. He settled in and watched as his wife throughly admonished both sons, scratching Njord's ears where the ice wolf was resting his head over his knee while Jarl lounged by the Allfather's feet. Frigga ripped them both a new one, but had then gathered her boys into her arms and held them tightly, expressing her pride in them both. Odin being Odin had joined the embrace by placing his hands on either sons shoulders and expressing his own pride as well, but then he took the baton from Frigga and started ripping into them for running headlong into danger.
But while things were moderately under control within the palace, with the royal family safe and whole, and the healers tending to the many injuries, out in the rest of the cityscape, Asgard was abuzz with the tales of what happened today with the guild fire and how both Princes of Asgard had come to lend their aid. More specifically, it was abuzz regarding the second Prince and how he had used his powers as a Jotun to put out the monstrous blaze and saved many lives.