UGH this was SO BEYOND DIFFICULT to write! I am so sorry for the delay (again). However, the chapter after this one will be the conclusion of my first ever story! I'm glad you guys have been reading and reviewing and sticking with this thing until the end. Thanks!

I hope the last cliffhanger didn't make you too angry…Please don't get too mad at me for this one either…

Disclaimer – I only own original characters, the rest belong to Marvel.

Chapter 17 – A Bargaining Chip

Kiera froze as she felt the cold dagger pressing against her skin. Her body became rigid and tense. She remembered seeing people held at knifepoint like this in the movies and always thinking they looked too panicked and were overacting. Now she understood.

What was Loki doing?

Kiera felt herself being half-carried forward to a more prominent spot in the vast room. For a moment, it seemed like this was all a sick joke as she felt Loki's grip loosen. But when she glanced down, she still saw the shining blade of a dagger almost grazing her throat. She remembered Loki's instructions and remained stock still, willing herself not to tremble with terror.

"Surtur," Loki spoke, loudly enough for the leader of the Fire Demons to hear. As people slowly realized what was happening they stopped fighting and stared as if in a trance. Thor's face held a look of pure shock.

Surtur, who had been fighting a small group of warriors with flames that snaked around the room like tentacles swept his hands in a smooth motion across his chest to abate them. When he saw who had spoken he grinned.

"The traitor."

Surtur sauntered slowly toward Kiera and Loki, his eyes flashing as if they themselves were engulfed in flames.

"I was informed by my warriors that you had feelings for this half-breed."

Kiera heard Loki chuckle behind her. "I needed a way out of prison. This one is very trusting."

Loki's voice was hoarse and rasping from disuse, but it made Kiera's hair stand up on the back of her neck that much more. Her eyes darted around the room as everyone looked back at her. In her peripherals she saw Frigga's hand cover her mouth in horror. Jadef's mouth was agape as if he could not believe what he was seeing. Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly as his face contorted into rage.

Surtur smiled. "And what makes you think I would trust a master of deceit?"

"I am not asking you to trust me."

"Then to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"

Loki paused for just a moment. "I plan to arrange a truce."

Surtur stopped walking, looked at Loki for a minute, and laughed. Soon all of the Fire Demons joined in so the Great Hall rang with deep laughter.

"Why would anyone agree to a truce with you after all you did to devastate the Nine Realms?" Surtur demanded. "You who sought to destroy the Jotuns out of spite and who brought destruction upon Midgard? You do know your woman there is of Midgard, do you not? If you did love her why would you seek to harm her people?"

"You may have noticed that I am prepared to kill her," Loki rasped. "I feel that rather negates your argument."

"Why then, by all means, kill her," Surtur replied. "It would rid Odin of his precious secret Weapon and I would then be free to take your realm by force. And you were supposed to be intelligent, Laufeyson."

"Ah, but you are forgetting one very important thing, Demon," Loki said slyly.

"I am forgetting nothing. Without the half-breed, Asgard is as good as mine."

Kiera stood rigidly. Loki's warning stuck in her brain and she did not move a muscle. Terrified, she watched as Loki, the man she thought loved her, bargained with her life, toyed with it. Had it all been an elaborate trick? Had she fallen for one of the god of mischief's ploys? How could she have been so naïve, so stupid? How could she have ever trusted so devious and cruel?

Out of the corner of her eye, Kiera noticed movement. She saw Thor bounding toward where Loki held her, raising Mjolnir in the air.

"Thor, do you think it wise to attack me right now?" Loki asked calmly.

Thor stopped mid-lunge and after considering for a moment lowered Mjolnir to his side. He stepped forward toward his brother.

"Should you come any closer I shall be forced to kill her, Thor."

Thor halted his steps. "Brother, what are you playing at?"

"I believe I have already made my position quite clear," Loki said. "I plan to reason with our enemies."

"By negotiating with Kiera's life?"

"If necessary, yes."

Thor's eyes widened and he took a step back in shock. "Brother - "

"Enough, Thor."

Thor opened his mouth to reply but closed it again, speechless.

Loki continued. "You seem to have forgotten your own legends, Surtur. The tale is known throughout the Nine Realms. It seems a Fire Demon must kill the half-breed in order to gain power, and I currently hold the knife to her throat."

Kiera cringed when he called her half-breed.

Surtur's smile melted from his face. "You propose a bargain then?"

"What else?"

Surtur walked forward until he was only a few feet away from where Kiera stood. Her heart began to beat faster.

"I will hand the half-breed over to you if you give me the Tesseract."

The Fire Demons burst into laughter once again, the sound piercing Kiera's ears. She felt so stupid for ever trusting Loki. She had known all along he was called the god of mischief, but had naively fallen for him anyway. All this time she had thought it was Odin that had planned to use her as a bargaining chip when all the while she should have been worried about Loki. If he had not been holding a dagger to her throat she would have kicked herself. Or punched him in the face.

"You would have us give the Tesseract to you, Laufeyson, in exchange for her?" Surtur scoffed.

"If you do not take her now she will either remain a threat to your people or I will prevent you from gaining the power you crave that was shown to you through the prophecy," Loki explained calmly. "However, if you do decide to adhere to my bargain, you would find yourself in the possession of Asgard's weapon. She could be a wonderful asset to your army. I have seen her work myself."

"She is an ally of the House of Odin. You are naïve if you think one would switch allegiances so easily."

"Then kill her if you must," Loki snarled, his words cutting into Kiera like a sword. "I only ask for the Tesseract. I have made many enemies of late and I would like to be rid of them sooner rather than later."

Kiera thought quickly. She was to be killed either by Surtur's hand or Loki's. And she was not going to stand around and wait to see which one would kill her first. She needed to catch Loki off guard…

"I will never let the likes of you possess the Tesseract. You would only bide your time and inflict harm upon our race when it serves you. Such is your nature."

"Then you force me to take the Tesseract by force."

"With what army? You are vastly outnumbered, Laufeyson."

Kiera decided this was as good of a time as any. She jerked her arm to knock the dagger from Loki's hand and whirled to face him only to see his form flicker for a moment before disappearing. Kiera's eyes widened with shock.

He had been using a double.

She turned quickly and saw Surtur's stunned and furious face. Behind him, she noticed the real Loki, fingertips outstretched from behind a tapestry reaching for the Tesseract. Suddenly, it all made sense. He had told her not to move so she would not give away the fact that he was using magic - that he was actually going after the Tesseract.

The Tesseract was the real bargaining chip. She was merely the distraction.

Surtur followed Kiera's eyes. Just as Loki's hand grasped the Tesseract, Surtur sent a jet of blazing red fire straight at him, knocking him off his feet. Before Loki could stand, Surtur outstretched his other hand, sending another stream of flames which wrapped itself snakelike around Loki. Kiera watched in horror as Surtur pulled the blaze closer until Loki, bound by flames, was floating in the air mere feet away from them.

Kiera looked up at Loki, struggling to no avail to get free. His eyes met hers for only a moment before his face twisted in agony.

Surtur smirked. "It has always fascinated me, Kiera, the effect our power has upon Jotun blood."

He sent another stream of fire at Loki which twisted around him more tightly and caused him to cry out in pain.

"It seems," Surtur snarled, "fire has a certain effect on Jotuns that is unlike any other race. It must be due to their desire to reside in the cold and ice. They cannot bear to be touched by the flames of our people."

Another burst of fire surged through Surtur's hand. Loki's excruciating screams echoed throughout the hall.

"Stop it!" Kiera shouted. The Demons laughed.

"The god of mischief is correct about the prophecy," Surtur continued. "If a so-called 'Fire Demon' kills the half-breed we will gain ultimate power. However, if what the traitor says about your power is true, I feel you could be better utilized as an ally."

"If you think I would ever fight with you, you're insane," Kiera replied.

Another burst of flames shot at Loki, who looked as if he were ready to pass out from the pain. Kiera winced at the sound of his rasped breathing.

Surtur smiled. "I am certain you see where I am going with this."

Kiera looked back and forth from Surtur to Loki. Perhaps if she joined their side she could find a way to escape. She seriously doubted that possibility and her hopes were quickly dashed. But she could not let them continue to torture Loki like this. She took a deep breath and began to reply.

"No." Kiera could barely hear Loki speak.

Kiera looked up at him. "Loki, I have no choice here."

"No…you don't…understand…" Loki winced in pain.

"Enough," Surtur growled.

"Kiera…your fire…it's more powerful than theirs…" His face was ashen and had begun to blister from the head of the flames that bound him.

"Loki, what are you talking about?"

"Hold your tongue, Laufeyson," Surtur bellowed shooting more scarlet flames at Loki. He winced but continued.

"Remember lessons…Jadef said…love…"

"Kiera!" She turned to see Jadef bounding toward them. "Loki is right! That is why your magic is more powerful than theirs! Use it now!"

"I can't!"

"Swear your allegiance to me or I will kill him now!" Surtur shouted, sending another jet of flames at Loki who shrieked in agony.

Suddenly, Kiera understood. In all of her lessons she had learned about magic controlled by emotions. Jadef had taught her that most magic was controlled through rage and anger. But hers – hers was different…

Could this possibly work?

She looked up at Loki and felt the familiar tingle in her fingers. In a matter of seconds, her hands were blazing. Without even pausing to consider or wait for Surtur to follow through with his threat, she sent a jet of golden fire straight for his chest.

Surtur stumbled backward as the flames hit him full force. The spell on Loki broke and he fell to the ground in a heap.

The Demons immediately took up arms and began to advance upon Kiera who assumed a defensive stance.

"NO!" Surtur bellowed, standing upright. He held up his hand, signaling his army to back down. "I will deal with the half-breed myself. Stand your ground and wait for my sig-"

Before Surtur could finish his sentence, Kiera sent another ball of fire at him, knocking him to the ground. Then she quickly dropped to her knees beside Loki.

"Loki, oh my – are you alright?"

Loki was on his back, coughing and writing in pain.

"What on earth were you doing?"

"Kiera," Loki rasped. "You - "

Suddenly, Kiera was blasted off her feet and thrown backward. She struggled to get up quickly but saw Surtur preparing to deliver another blow. She braced herself for the pain she knew was coming. A jet of fire sped toward her.

Out of nowhere, Thor appeared and knocked the fire back at Surtur who ducked to avoid it. A number of Fire Demons, ignoring Surtur's words, rushed forward and flanked him on either side. Sif and a number of other warriors took arms and ran to meet them. Metal grated on metal as sword clashed with shield. Jets of flame once again surged through the hall. Thor grabbed Loki's arm and hoisted him to his feet, supporting his weight. Loki stumbled as Thor half carried his brother to the rear of the room, Kiera following at a jog, ducking and covering her head as flames and arrows rained down.

Thor let Loki slide to the ground behind a pile of rubble before he turned to Kiera. "Our warriors cannot match their men. I do not know how much more we can take. You are our only hope against them."

"What? I can't beat them all by myself."

"Yes you can, Kiera," Loki said, doubling over and clutching his stomach. Kiera noticed raw skin on his cheek and his armor was smoking from where he had been burned.

"What if I fail?"

"You will not fail," Loki replied, breathing heavily. Wincing in pain, he forced himself to stand. "We have your back."

Kiera almost laughed. "I told you you sound really stupid when you try to talk like me."

Loki smiled. Feeling suddenly brave with him and Thor behind her, Kiera turned back to face Surtur and his army. Surtur had forced his way through the crowded hall and the mass of warriors until he was standing before them.

"It seems you have made the choice to be killed."

"Actually, I've made the choice to kick your butt out of Asgard."

"It is truly a pity. You would have liked Muspelheim."

Kiera smiled. "Well, it's too bad I won't get to see it then."

Surtur sneered. "This is the day the prophecy will come true when I destroy the half-breed."

"That's where you're wrong, man," Kiera said. "First, I'm not a half-breed, I'm Asgardian. Second, by the end of this you're never going to want to mess with this realm again."

Surtur had had enough. He threw a ball of fire straight at Kiera's face and she did not have time to duck. Loki tackled Kiera to the ground while Thor knocked the fireball out of the way with Mjolnir. Kiera and Loki stood up just in time to see three Demons charging straight at them. Loki quickly threw daggers at them, hitting two of them in the throat. The third sidestepped the last dagger and hurled himself at Kiera. Kiera concentrated and launched a fireball at him, knocking him to the ground.

Kiera seized the opportunity to assess the battle. She saw Sif across the room nursing a severe burn on her left shoulder as she fought several Fire Demons at once. Thor was knocking fireballs rapidly at the advancing Demon army. Jadef looked masterful as he took on a squadron of close to ten Demons at once. Odin and Frigga fought side by side but their odds were not looking good. If she could generate enough fire to drive the entire army back, maybe they would have a chance…

Kiera threw a jet of fire at Surtur who had to dive out of the way to avoid it. She didn't have much time.

"Loki, Thor," Kiera said, turning to face them. "Go get the Tesseract."

"What are you going to do?" said Thor.

"Just go, okay? I'll handle things over here."

"I will stay with you," Loki said.

"No, go with Thor. I'll be fine. Trust me."

"I am not going to leave you here to - "

"Please go, for me, okay?"

Loki looked at her with concern in his eyes. He took her face in his hands, gently kissed her forehead, and turned to follow Thor toward the Tesseract.

Loki stumbled behind Thor as they weaved their way toward the Tesseract. Loki's magic was suffering terribly after being tortured by Surtur, and he relied on Thor to deflect any wayward flames that came their way. Occasionally, he threw a dagger at a passing Fire Demon, but his aim was not on point. His body ached and he winced as his armor rubbed against the places where his skin had been burned. He tasted raw flesh from a burn on his face but ignored it, determined to get the Tesseract and end the battle.

They dodged a ball of fire by ducking behind a statue in the hall. As Loki peered out from behind it he could see a group of Fire Demons guarding the Tesseract. They were fighting Hogun and Fandral who looked worn but determined. Across the hall the battle raged. Loki looked around anxiously for Kiera, fearing the worst. He tried to remind himself that if something had happened to her he would undoubtedly know by now.

"How will we get the Tesseract?" Thor questioned, watching as Hogun skillfully blocked a blast with the hilt of his sword.

"The warriors are providing quite a distraction," replied Loki. "If we conceal ourselves until we are behind them, we could sneak in, take the Tesseract, and use it to cast the Demons out of Asgard."

"I like this plan, Loki," Thor said. "But how do I know this is truly your intention? You have double-crossed me several times in a very short period of time."

Loki would have laughed if the situation had not been so dire. "I assure you, Brother, that my intentions are for Kiera's good and for the good of Asgard."

Thor smiled and placed a hand on Loki's cheek. "Then let us purge this enemy from our realm, Brother."

Kiera blasted yet another Fire Demon out of the way. Exhaustion was beginning to sink in. Suddenly, Surtur was upon her, blasting her to the ground. He advanced toward her before she could stand. Kiera's eyes widened in horror – he had set himself on fire.

"Foolish girl," he whispered menacingly. "You could have been great."

Kiera swallowed her fear. "Well, joining you wouldn't have done me much good if the prophecy said you had to kill me."

Surtur laughed. "That is a fair point. Too bad I am still going to kill you."

Kiera raised her arm to defend herself but Surtur struck her hand, knocking it out of the way. He stretched his hands so they were pointed directly at her. Kiera braced for the inevitable.

Suddenly, a dagger flew from across the hall and struck Surtur in the shoulder, knocking him off balance. He roared in pain, stumbling away. Kiera took this opportunity to stand. Looking around for the source of the sword, her eyes met Sif's. Sif nodded in acknowledgement before resuming her clash with a Demon across the Great Hall.

Kiera didn't have much time. She stood still and closed her eyes, willing her fire to be extra powerful, praying that her plan would work. She was terrified, but determined. Kiera felt her hands tingling and pushing aside every other thought she concentrated hard on Loki's face right before he kissed her. She forced herself to focus on every detail – his eyes, his long black hair, his broad shoulders, the fading scars around his lips. Then she remembered how she had felt when he had been under Surtur's power, bound by powerful flames. Kiera's heart had ached at the thought of losing him and had broken as she watched him suffer. Her thoughts reached out further to Thor and Sif, who had befriended her in the darkest of times. Niva, who had treated her as a daughter. Jadef who had taught her so much and had been the only father she could remember. Suddenly her hands were filled with a power she had never felt before. This time, her power came from more than just love. This was life or death – the lives of the only people who had ever cared about her were at stake.

Kiera threw her arms forward and energy the likes of which she had never felt before surged from her fingers. Bright yellow flames coursed through the hall. Kiera was blinded by the sudden light of the flames. She could not see or hear anything but the roaring of the fire bursting from her fingertips toward the advancing Fire Demon army.

She could only hope it was enough…

Loki and Thor emerged from behind the statue and lunged toward the Tesseract when they were suddenly jolted by a flash of bright yellow light. Loki shielded his eyes and tried to see where the light was coming from. Suddenly, the hall was filled with a blazing yellow fire that seemed to dance about the room. Loki turned to see the Demons falling back, covering their faces with their arms and crying out in pain. The Demons holding the Tesseract dropped it to the floor to protect themselves from this new kind of fire. The armies of Asgard, sensing that the momentum had shifted and using the Demon army's distraction, were gathering together to form new lines behind Kiera.

"Thor, the Tesseract!" he shouted.

As Thor leaped forward to reclaim the Tesseract, Loki scanned the room until he laid eyes on Kiera. She was glowing with a brilliant power he had never seen from her before. Every inch of her skin shimmered with a golden radiance as flames poured out of her fingertips, reaching every inch of the room. Loki could feel its warmth, but unlike Surtur's fire it did not harm him. He gazed at Kiera for a moment forgetting that he was in the midst of battle. She had never looked more beautiful.

Thor rushed up to him. "Loki, we must send the army back to Muspelheim!"

"I know, let me think." Loki's eyes flickered back and forth from Kiera to the Tesseract. He then noticed a wayward flame shooting rapidly toward them.

"Thor, quickly! Throw me the Tesseract!"

Thor tossed the Tesseract to Loki who took hold of it and held it in front of him. Without a moment to spare, the burst of flames missed Loki and instead ricocheted off the Tesseract at the staggering Fire Demon army.

Yells and screams erupted from the forces and the army was thrown backward. The Tesseract's power almost blasted Loki off his feet, but Thor rushed behind him to help brace against the force. Loki noticed that the Fire Demon army was not only retreating, but they were disappearing. The Tesseract's power, spread by Kiera's fire, was driving the Demons back to Muspelheim. A final surge of yellow flame combined with the power of the Tesseract and the army was gone.

A cry of triumph rose from the Asgardians as they looked upon the now mostly empty hall. Loki took no notice as he tossed the Tesseract to Thor and bolted in the direction of where he had last seen Kiera. He reached the spot where she had been only a moment earlier but she was nowhere to be found. Frantically, he looked around until his gaze stumbled upon a form resting on the stairs behind where Kiera had been standing only moments before. Loki walked as if in a trance toward the figure – long blonde hair covering a lifeless face…

2013 EDIT: I added like 500 words to this chapter, so I truly feel like I accomplished something. Plugged a few plot holes here and there (there were actually more plot holes than I realized, but that's the first attempt for you…) and added a lot more detail and a few more bits of conversation. I'm rather satisfied with how it turned out.