Lines of warriors stood opposite each other on the battlefield, snarling, vicious, and ready for the kill. Alexis looked at her mother, lying asleep on a stone alter a few metres ahead of the Norse Gods, a feeling of dread curling in her stomach. Both sides quietened, and Odin finally spoke.
"Fellows of the Nine Realms," his voice boomed out over the space between the ranks, ominous, foreboding. "You see, before you, the appeasing sacrifice…a mortal parent of an immortal being," Odin gestured back towards Alexis who held her head high in defiance. "She has come here today," he continued, "because of the Prophecy of the Oracle Mimir and, as such, could choose to defy you all." Odin paused and looked back at Alexis again sadly. "She knows not what this sacrifice means…what has to be done to her mother…for you to be appeased…" he looked back towards the ranks of blood-thirsty Frost Giants and Unworthy Dead. "So do what is required…but do it quickly, for there will be no stopping her if she changes her mind."
Odin's voice floated through the air, away from the Norse Gods, and went silent. The ranks opposite them rumbled with consulting voices determining how exactly to proceed. Eventually, the largest of the Frost Giant clan stepped forward.
"We are appeased." He all but shouted at them. "Let the emaciation procedure commence!"
Alexis' eyes widened. "What?!"
"Alexis," Thor soothed. "You knew what was coming was never going to be good."
"Emaciation!" Alexis voice was harsh and unforgiving. As her eyes darted from her mother to Thor to Odin, and finally, to her mother's appointed killer. "Like hell! I never signed up for this!" she yelled as her mothers' killer, one of the Unworthy Dead, held up a large dagger, no doubt intending to plunge it down and disembowel his victim. "And I'll be damned if I let this happen now!"
Alexis' rage consumed her entire being. She closed her eyes momentarily, concentrating. She hadn't done this in years. In a speed that defied physics, logic and reason, Alexis flashed forward, drawing a sword from an obliging – and un-noticing Norse warrior's belt – and charged the unsuspecting member of the Unworthy Dead.
As she brought the sword down over her unsuspecting victims head, another opposing warrior blocked her fatal blow. Alexis looked up, smirking as she slinked their swords together, using them to pivot and throw herself into the air, kicking her original victim in the head. He landed on his own dagger, effectively ending his own existence. But the second warrior wasn't finished with her. He brought his sword down hard, angled at Alexis' side. She blocked it, looking up too late to see he'd drawn a second sword and was swinging it down towards her head. Her scream of fear caught in her throat as she realised her error. She thought she was dead…
But, out of nowhere, the swords deadly blow was blocked by a gold staff which, not only caught the sword mid-swing but, thrust the sword back into the warriors own head…killing him.
Loki wrapped a protective arm around Alexis as the fallen warrior hit the ground, dust thrown up around his now still form, and drew her close; his possessive stance confirming he would never back down. When he finally looked up from what he had down, his green eyes were more like icy daggers and his voice was filled with malice. "You will not touch her…"
The largest of the Frost Giants let out a laugh that should have frozen the blood in Alexis' veins and stepped forward, the most evil smile the world had ever known plastered across his pale blue face.
"And you," he snickered. "Will die…"
Loki let go of Alexis. Loki and the Frost Giant launched themselves at each other across the battlefield, roaring at each other in defiance. They came together with a clash, sparks flying from the metal of their weapons on impact. The two fought furiously, with both sides growing ever further riled up. The clash of steel rang through the air, with neither able to get the upper hand.
Suddenly, Loki found himself under an attack of far greater intensity than he would have thought the Frost Giant before him was capable. The Frost Giant beat down on Loki again and again, unrelenting. Another merciless blow came down over Loki's head. He blocked the deadly swing but realised too late that it had only been a distraction. The Frost Giant kicked him in the chest, sending Loki hurtling backwards. He landed; hard, pressed against the stone alter where Alexis' mother still lay sleeping, oblivious to what was occurring around her. The Frost Giant sauntered forward as Loki coughed, trying desperately to regain the ability to breathe, and pressed a heavy foot against his chest, slowly crushing him. Loki cried out, anger and pain evident in his expression, as he struggled against the weight.
The Frost Giant laughed cruelly and brought his weapon high above his head, readying for the final blow, when a sharp, knife-like object thrust through his chest from behind. The Frost Giant's cry of pain and shock gurgled into silence as the Loki below him evaporated and all eyes focused on the Loki that had appeared on the Frost Giant's back…and killed the aforementioned.
"As I said," Loki murmured menacingly into the Frost Giant's ear as he died, ripping his gold staff out of his chest. "You will not touch her."
He staggered back into Alexis' arms, wiping away the tears that fell from her eyes, pulling her into his warm embrace. But the battle was not yet done.
With a cry of outrage, the ranks of Frost Giants and the Unworthy Dead charged. With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, Loki grabbed a hold of Alexis and hurled her behind him, determined to protect her from harm even though he was hurt.
"Kill them!" the charging hoards shouted as they charged. "Kill them all!"
"NO!" Alexis screamed, pulling Loki back and shoving him behind her. Her hands clutched at the air in front of her chest, a ball of green, glowing energy and lightening forming in the space between her hands. She looked up, eyes livid, through the veil of her hair at the mad, charging hoards. With a cry of indignation, she let loose the ball of energy. It spread out over the whole of the enemy's army. They froze mid-step, lingered but a moment…and were gone.
Alexis turned back to the Norse ranks, looking to ensure everyone was unharmed. No one had moved…just stood there, staring. With a final glance and a small smile at her beloved, Alexis collapsed…slipping away into the oblivion of unconsciousness.
...
One year later…
Alexis awoke to the soft hum of a lullaby and hardly suppressed giggles. She opened one eye slowly. She had just enough time to mock scream and laugh as her two lovely daughters jumped on her, waking her up as Loki smiled lovingly down at the three of them.
"Good morning, my love." Loki smiled wickedly as he sat down beside Alexis, who was hugging and kissing their girls and making them giggle more. "Callie, Theresa, let your mother up."
"Morning, my lovelies!" Alexis beamed back at him before she resumed tickling their little girls.
"Don't I get a mention?" Tony asked from the door, smirking.
"Uncle Tony!" the girls laughed together, running over to him and hugging a leg each.
"Here we go." Tony smiled, picking up Callie and holding her on his hip. "Your aunt Pepper, asked me to apologise for her not being here to see you," he paused, looking up at Alexis. "But she has my business to run."
"And to what do we owe the pleasure of seeing my big brother?" Alexis smirked as she got out of bed a made her way over to hug Tony.
"Yes…" Loki paused, and smirked. "Would you like a drink?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Well, apparently, I'm here to…fetch you back to Earth." He paused, looking at each of them in turn. "There's something that Bruce wants you to take a look at."
"Dr. Banner wants me to look at something?" Alexis asked, smirking. "That's descriptive, Tony."
"It's some form of technology…we don't know what it is… and when I said you…I meant both of you, Alexis…they want to talk to Loki too…"
Alexis looked at her girls…her beautiful twin girls… "Alright, let's go! I'm in need of another adventure…and it would be nice to see home."
...
Do R&R my lovlies! 3