Thanks for continuing to read! Things are going to get a little on the creep-tastic side of things here, so sorry! (But not too creepy.) There is a lot of plot in this chapter but I like how it turned out. Keep reviewing! I have a couple of different ideas about how this story should end and I'm not sure which one to pick yet, so if you have anything you would like to see, I would be more than happy to entertain your thoughts.
Disclaimer: I only own original characters (Sulnir is new to this chapter), the rest belongs to Marvel.
Chapter 13 – The Demons of Fire
If Kiera's dream had made her scream, it was nothing to how she was screaming now.
The thing in her room laughed as his body was consumed with flames. Paralyzed with terror, Kiera could do nothing but sit on her bed and scream. Finally, the fire extinguished itself, leaving a thin smoke hanging in the air.
Kiera heard footsteps approaching her room. The figure knelt beside her bed so he was hidden from the doorway.
"Kiera?" Niva whispered. "Is everything alright?"
Kiera glanced toward the figure hulking at the foot of her bed. He placed a single finger over his lips and narrowed his eyes.
"N-nothing," Kiera replied, too terrified of what the creature might do if she screamed for help. "J-just a bad dream."
"Alright then, dear," Niva turned to leave. "Get some sleep, love." The door closed behind her and Kiera sank back into her pillow, half relieved that Niva was no longer in danger and half quaking at the thought of what this…thing might do to her.
"Who are you?" Kiera shouted, pulling her covers up to her chin.
The figure only cackled in response.
"WHO ARE YOU?"
The figure crossed over to Kiera so he was inches from where she sat.
"Do you mean to tell me you do not recognize me?" he said, stroking her chin with a long, coarse finger. Kiera shuddered.
"What are you doing here?"
"Funny, I was about to ask you the very same thing."
"How did you even get here? The Bifrost is out of commission and Heimdall wouldn't have let you in anyway."
"Odin's defenses are down at the moment to allow his firstborn to travel to Midgard. I merely took advantage of the opportunity to visit you."
"What do you mean?"
"Kiera – it is Kiera, is it not?"
Kiera's throat was dry. "How do you know my name?"
"I know many things you do not yet know about yourself," the figure growled.
"What are you talking about?"
"Surely you must know that you do not belong to Midgard. That you have never belonged to Midgard."
Kiera only stared at him, confused and terrified.
"Dear Kiera, did you honestly believe you were of Midgardian descent what with your power?"
"What are you saying? Get out of my room!"
"Tell me," the figure said, shifting to the other side of the room. "Did you ever wonder why Odin would allow you to live in the palace of Asgard? To be a part of private lessons reserved for Asgardian nobility without anybody in this realm knowing anything at all about you?"
Kiera sat in stunned silence.
"Think, Kiera," he said in a voice that mocked her. "Why would they bring you to Asgard? You, a sixteen-year-old girl with no extraordinary ability aside from lighting an occasional structure on fire?"
"I don't understand."
"And the most vital and interesting question is this: Why would they refrain from telling you who you really are?"
Terrified though she was, it only took Kiera a few seconds to put everything he was saying together.
"Are you saying that I'm one of…whatever you are?"
The figure smiled again, revealing his pointed teeth. "Finally, she is thinking."
"Please just tell me who you are and what you want!"
"I am Sulnir of Muspelheim."
Muspelheim. Muspelheim. Why did that sound so familiar? Kiera looked up at the figure's frightening face and suddenly she remembered. She had seen a nearly identical face on the cover of a book in Jadef's study years ago.
"You're a Fire Demon?"
The figure laughed. "Oh, the names we have been given by the arrogant inhabitants of Asgard."
"But, I look nothing like you!"
He only laughed louder. "If there is anything you should have learned recently it is that one need not look like the race to which they belong."
Kiera realized Sulnir was talking about Loki. "But, how can I be a Fire Demon? I still don't understand."
Sulnir crossed back to where Kiera lie. "Years ago, one of our kind was cast out and settled in Midgard for crimes of treason. He was the brother of our king. Exile apparently suited him well. He met and fell in love with a Midgardian woman, all while disguising his true nature. Through this bond, a strange child was bred. She bore the appearance of a human but held within her the powers of Muspelheim.
"Our legends speak of a being of great might who would one day bring destruction upon our realm, seeking revenge upon the people who had exiled her father."
"So what you're suggesting is that I'm the niece of the king of Muspelheim?"
He sneered. "Precisely."
Kiera's jaw dropped. "I don't believe you."
Sulnir came closer to Kiera. "It is said that the skin of our kind can burn human flesh on contact. If you were truly human, Kiera, why did my touch have no effect on you?"
Kiera's hand found her chin where he had touched it. It did not feel harmed in any way.
"Okay, let's say you are right and I'm half Fire Demon. What was the point of coming here to tell me?"
"Odin is known for acquiring people for his own personal gain," Sulnir said, giving her a pointed look.
Kiera again thought of Loki. "I still don't get what this has to do with me."
Sulnir's face was inches from Kiera's. "Odin does not allow just anyone to waltz into Asgard and live under his watchful eye. You sincerely believe that you are here because the people of this realm care about you? If they truly do care, then why would they not reveal to you what you truly are?"
"Well, maybe they didn't know what I was," Kiera said, inching away from him and beginning to panic.
Sulnir sneered, his nose almost touching hers. "You are naïve. Odin brought you here for a purpose, Kiera. To use you as a political weapon against your own kind. He has been training you all these years to bring destruction upon Muspelheim without your knowledge or consent. And if he had succeeded without you being aware of your true parentage, you would have joined forces with the house of Odin to bring Asgard's wrath down on your own people!"
Kiera could not breathe. On the one hand, Sulnir was terrifying and could potentially kill her at any moment. On the other hand, if anything he was saying was true and she had only been intended as a pawn against Muspelheim…
"Asgard thinks itself untouchable," Sulnir hissed. "When Odin's idiotic son sought confrontation with Jotunheim, he invited warfare. Now Laufey's son is raining destruction upon Midgard. The house of Odin is dangerous to the Nine Realms. They care for no one but themselves and their own gain. Do not fall prey to their lies. War is coming, Kiera. It is time you considered who your true allies are."
Sulnir leaned in closer so his lips were almost brushing her ear. "Until next time," he whispered.
He drew his face away from hers and faded into the shadows, disappearing from view before letting himself out her bedroom door. Kiera shook with terror and struggled to control her breathing. She could not even entertain the idea of trying to fall back to sleep. She tried to calm herself, but questions and uncertainties flew through her mind, and only led to more questions. Finally, she gave up, changed into her favorite simple blue dress, and walked barefoot through the corridors of the palace to Jadef's study.
Kiera had no idea what time it was, but she knew it was not yet morning. At first she felt rude knocking on Jadef's door at this hour, but the more she thought about what had just transpired, the angrier she became. Had Jadef lied to her about her parentage just as he had withheld the truth from Loki? Had Heimdall brought her to Asgard not because he had seen her suffering but in order to give Asgard an advantage against an ancient enemy? Had everything been a lie?
By the time she reached Jadef's door, Kiera was incensed. She pounded on the door with more force than she meant, but hardly cared. When he did not answer right away, Kiera flung the door open and marched in. Jadef was leaning back in a chair, a book open on his lap.
"JADEF!" Kiera all but screamed at him, causing him to jerk awake, the book landing on the floor with a thump.
Jadef blinked a few times before registering who had disturbed his sleep. "Kiera," he said, rubbing his eyes. "What is the matter?"
"How much did you really know about me?"
Jadef stared back at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean!"
"I am afraid I do not, Kiera. Please calm yourself and tell me what is bothering you."
Kiera walked closer to him with clenched fists. She took a deep breath and chose her words carefully. "It has been brought to my attention that I may in fact be descended from a race of people called the Fire Demons. Explain."
Now Jadef looked very confused. "How has this been 'brought to your attention?' "
"A visitor came to me in the middle of the night and told me everything."
"Visitor?" Jadef stood up suddenly. "Kiera, what kind of visitor? Are you hurt?"
"Why do you care if I'm hurt or not?" Kiera spat. "You kept the truth from me for years, never caring that I may not want to be some political tool to force Muspelheim into submission to Asgard."
Jadef looked stunned. "Kiera, did a Fire Demon visit you tonight?"
"Yes."
"And he told you all of this, correct?"
"Yes."
"And how can you be certain you can trust him?"
"How can I be certain I can trust you?"
"Kiera," Jadef said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "the inhabitants of Muspelheim have been enemies of Asgard as long as I can remember. With Asgard's defenses down, they have seized an opportunity to turn you against us to try to best us from the inside because of your magical abilities. There is nothing to fear."
"Then, Jadef, explain to me how I have these magical powers when nobody else from Midgard does. Explain to me why I was allowed inside the palace, under the watchful eye of Odin Allfather, to study magic when even other Asgardians are not able to do so. Explain to me why this thing could touch me without any harm coming to me."
Suddenly, Jadef could not speak.
"I trusted you," whispered Kiera, tears forming in her eyes. "Why would you not tell me what I was?"
"It was not my place."
"That's exactly what you said about Loki, and look how well that turned out?" Kiera shouted, angry tears spilling over her cheeks. "When has it ever ended well for you hiding things from people? I trusted you and you lied to me, all the while molding me into some sort of weapon against the people of Muspelhiem so in case a war ever started with them you would have some sort of bargaining chip. Is that all I ever was to you? Is that how all the people who come to you for training end up? Political devices? Loki was taken from Jotunheim to bring peace between them and Asgard, and now the same exact thing happened to me! It all makes sense now! Well, thank you very much for your help, but I think it would have been best if you would have just left me in Midgard."
She turned to leave.
"Kiera," Jadef said softly, stopping her. She stood still, not turning back to face him.
"What?"
Kiera heard Jadef take a deep, shuddering breath behind her. "I suspected you may have descended from Muspelheim just as I had my suspicions about Loki. But please believe that in both cases I did not have any intention of using either of you as a weapon. I did my duty to the Allfather and attempted to train you up in magic and in character. And I am afraid I have failed the both of you. Please try to find it in your heart to forgive me."
Kiera hesitated. She was more confused than ever. Everyone she had once loved she could no longer trust. Without looking back, she strode out of Jadef's study, slamming the door hard behind her.
The weeks that followed were some of the worst Kiera had ever experienced. She did not go to her lessons. Whenever she saw Jadef coming she found some excuse to go the opposite direction. She avoided Sif and the Warriors Three by pretending to be too swamped with work to spend any leisure time with them. She was even more stern than usual with Niva, though it was difficult to be angry with a woman as sweet as her. If Niva knew anything about Sulnir's visit, she kept it to herself. Niva did not initiate conversation as if she could sense that Kiera was not in the mood to talk.
One afternoon while Kiera was changing the linens in Thor's room, she became aware of a sudden bustle of activity in the corridors. Setting down the linens, she peered out into the fray. Dozens of servants rushed about in a frenzy. Kiera only wondered for a moment what was going on before Thor emerged from the crowd and grabbed Kiera's hand, pulled her into his room, and closed the door behind him.
"Kiera," he said, out of breath. His normally well-kept blonde hair was slightly matted and his armor was stained with dirt and blood.
"Thor, what's happening?"
"I wanted you to be among the first to know. I have returned from Midgard with my wayward brother."
"So…it was him?"
Thor nodded, brushing a tangled lock of blonde hair behind his ear. "I admit he is a bit worse for wear, but he is alive."
"He's…alive?"
Thor nodded. "Like I said, a bit worse for wear. He had a particularly violent run-in with a Hulk."
Kiera had no idea what he was talking about. "What happened to Midgard?"
"I am afraid the New City of York will have a great deal of cleaning up do to. However, the Midgardian organization S.H.I.E.L.D. has granted me permission to bring Loki back to Asgard to receive his punishment."
Kiera could not seem to register what Thor was saying. "What's going to happen now?"
"He will serve whatever sentence my father sees fit."
It was Kiera's turn to nod. "Where is he?"
"He has been placed in a cell until such a time as a fitting punishment can be carried out." There was a hint of something more than sadness in Thor's face. Was it fear?
Kiera found it very difficult to be angry with Thor. Though she was more than incensed that the entire population of Asgard had essentially lied to her, she felt that Thor honestly had no idea of who or what Kiera was or why she had been brought Asgard. He was a genuine, albeit slightly dense, friend.
"I must go, Kiera. If you should need me, please send word."
"Thank you. And I'm glad you're back safely."
Thor gave her hand another squeeze before retreating back into the confusion in the hallway.
Kiera stood stock still. Loki was back. Loki, who she thought was dead, was alive, and had wreaked havoc on Midgard and had apparently destroyed New York City.
Kiera chuckled a little at the billions of people scattered across the nine realms who believed that there were only ever two sides to any war. On the one hand, she had the Asgardians who had taken her in and trained her to apparently help them defeat an ancient enemy. The Demons of Muspelheim sought to destroy Asgard because of Thor and Loki and their war with Jotunheim. Loki apparently had a grudge against Midgard and had taken it out upon the city in which he and Kiera had shared their first date. And here was Kiera right in the middle of all three realms, not belonging to any, but still forced to choose between them.
Kiera finished replacing the linens in Thor's room and bundled the dirty ones in a sack. She briefly considered venturing to see Loki in prison just to see for herself that it was all true, but quickly dismissed the idea. The words he had spoken the night of Thor's coronation still stung her deeply. He had changed so much in such a short time – or had he always been this way and she had just never noticed because of clouded judgement? Regardless of the answer to this question, the familiar feeling returned to the pit of her stomach. Her hands began to tingle lightly, a sensation she had almost forgotten. Enemy or not, overlooking anything he had ever done or said, Kiera was still in love with Loki.
And she hated herself for admitting it.
2013 EDIT: Didn't have to change too much of this chapter. But it's still better than it was.