NOTE:A character has changed name (republished CH 10 with change) - Alora's name has been changed to Maura

CHAPTER 11

She rose. The shackles dropped. She smiled.

"Nice of you to join us," Maura said, walking towards her sister.

"Nice to be back in such a...powerful state." Lina lifted her hand and kindled a dark colored flame within it. The power felt good. It was addicting. It was satisfying. She felt as if she could do anything.

"Lina," Loki whispered.

She looked at him long and hard. With a smirk, she walked over to him and knelt down. Caressing his face, she said, "Oh Loki, whatever cute little girl you thought was so madly in love with you is gone. She is trapped deep inside with no hope of ever coming out. Do what you want, but there's thing you can do to save her."

"Only a coward would hold her back from fighting this battle. If you weren't afraid of her, you would allow her to protect herself."

She patted him on the cheek. "And only a coward would hold in his feelings about a person he loved so dearly, even when he watched the life disappear from her eyes."

He burned his gaze into hers, only being greeted by a laugh.

Lina stood up and turned to her sister. "So tell me, what circumstances brought you to all of this power?" She sat in the place Loki usually took residence, awaiting Maura's reply.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Loki watched as Maura strode beside him. "After we were born, father saw an evil in me that would never go away. Needless to say he was right. He sent me away to another realm thinking that I would outgrow this darkness. He even thought maybe we could be together again and be a family.

"Time passed, I grew stronger, and he grew more worried. He came one day to see if he could bring me home. To his dismay, he was greeted by my newly made forces."

"And that's when he never returned home," Lina finished.

"Precisely. Did mother tell you how he died?"

Lina shook her head.

"I vowed after that day to find everyone in our family and get revenge for what had happened. No one else tried to save me. No one tried to find their lost little girl. I wanted to take matters into my own hands. Make my life mean something. And here we are." She outstretched her arms to Lina. "United together once more."

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

It was cold, dark, and desolate. Lina opened her eyes to be greeted by three more sets staring back at her. They weren't the eyes of strangers though.

"There's my little princess."

"Daddy," Lina acknowledged. She sat up, her body aching with the wounds she sustained moments before. She glanced around further. "Mother...Luke..."

"Still sleeping I see," her brother joked.

"I love the reunion, but we don't have time to chat." Her father's voice sounded urgent.

"What's going on?"

"Right now," he said, standing up, "we are in the dark recesses of your mind that your sister has taken over. We need to find her and get rid of her before we lose you completely."

"Lose me? But I'm right here," Lina said.

"If she finds you first, my love, and kills you, you won't return to the outside again. Your evil form will become permanent and destroy realm after realm."

"We've been keeping track of her while you were unconscious," her mother chimed. "She's closing in."

"We can help you only so much, but you are the one who needs to kill her in the end," Luke added.

Lina stood up and faced her father. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes."

He handed her the bow Odin had gifted to her from her father and her sword. "Make me proud."

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

Maura sat in front of Loki. "Why my sister, hm?"

Mind games. He needed to play mind games.

He looked her up and down, for once seeing a blush on the evil girl's face. "Now that I'm seeing you, I'm not entirely sure."

"Ahh, trying to play nice now, are we?"

He shrugged and smiled. "You can't blame me for trying."

She played with his dark hair and ran her fingers down his face. "Prince of Mischief they call you. How mischievous can you really be?"

"Care to test the limits?"

Maura's twisted smile spread on her face. She looked at her sister who had now brought her attention to herself and Loki. She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

"Is that all?" he teased.

Maura began planting kiss after kiss on Loki's face and neck.

Something inside of Lina started to burn as she watched Maura and Loki together. "Are you quite finished?"

Maura ignored and her continued. Her arms snaked around Loki's neck as she started to kiss him with more animosity. He felt Lina's intense glare at her sister.

~Yes. Get upset.

Lina walked over and pulled her sister away from Loki harshly, being met with a glare.

"We were just having a little fun," Maura snapped, standing up and fixing her dress. "Not like you have still feelings for the man, do you?"

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

It was as if Asgard had been painted another color. Lina and her family scoured through what seemed like the castle she had been staying in. It was cold, dark, and grey. The usual lights and warmth that illuminated it had been extinguished.

Cold laughter echoed through the halls.

Lina's father stopped for a moment for the group to rest.

"We can't run in circles forever," Lina told him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to look for her."

"I'm coming with you," Luke chimed in. He stood next to his sister and smiled reassuringly at her. "Time to show me what you've learned.

"As if you haven't been watching this whole time." Her heart started to warm. She was in the care of her family for the first time in many years. She never wanted to leave this place, but her mind was brought back to Loki and she yearned to be by his side to protect him.

"He's strong, Lina," her mother interrupted. "He'll be okay."

She nodded, looked at her brother, and they both led the way through to the throne room.

"Brave of you two to show up."

"End this now, Maura," Lina ordered.

"Or what? Mummy and daddy will scold me? You can't win here, Lina. I have more power here than you could ever imagine." Creatures flanked Lina's family on each side and grabbed them. Luke kicked and fought, only to be injured greatly, his cries hurting Lina at her core.

"How could you do this to your—"

"To who? My family that left me behind? My family who cast me out and left me to fend for myself?" Her long whip fell to the ground, the handle resting neatly in her palm. She lashed out at Lina's legs, causing her to fall to the ground. "You're weak for being babied for so long."

Lina closed her eyes and tried to shut out her sister. She thought of her memories with Luke when they were children, running around the castle and causing trouble to the servants. She thought of her mother singing her lullabies when she had nightmares. She thought of her father's warm embrace when the thunder would scare her at night.

"Your power was shrouded by them for so long. I fix that and this is how you repay me?" Maura's voice was raised and venomous. "You try to fight me off? For what? What's more important than all of this power?" Her creatures growled in appreciation as her words rang through the hall.

Lina looked at her, sadness filling her features. "Love."

A louder laugh rose out of Maura's body. "Silly girl. You'll learn the hard way what it's like one day."

"I look at you now and I see only weakness," Lina told her calmly. "I feel sorry for you. You choose not to let anyone reach out to you. You think your power will fulfill you, but what happens when it loses its charm?"

Maura glared at her. She raised her arm to crack her whip again, but Lina started to speak once more.

"You're a weakling for letting your power surpass your abilities to think clearly and realize how much people cared for you. Father's actions were only because he cared for you. To protect you."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You'll eat your words."

Maura raised her arm over her head to unleash pain onto Lina she had never felt before. The dark whip came down. What happened next caused Maura to freeze in fear.

Lina raised her arm to block Maura's attack, the whip wrapping itself numerous times around her forearm. She grabbed it and pulled towards her. The whip flew out of Maura's grasp.

She panicked.

Before she knew what was coming, Lina drew an arrow with her bow and let it loose.

Maura's heart was pierced with the blue arrow. Her face showed surprise and awe, staring at Lina.

Tears welled in Lina's eyes. "It could have been much different."

She watched as her sister fell to the ground. She saw the creatures holding her family away from her begin to crumble and disintegrate. They cried for their creator to save them, but to no avail.

"Lina!" Luke called out. He grabbed his sister in his arms and held her tight.

Lina felt the arms of her mother wrap around her next, followed by her father's.

"My princess," she heard him say. She was freed from Luke's grip and turned to face her father. "You've made me so proud throughout these years. The woman you've become has shown great diligence, strength, and courage."

Lina smiled. "It's only because I have a great family by my side each and every day, even if I can't always see you." She hugged her family again, never wanting to let go.

Just as it had happened before with her father, her surroundings started to fade and with it, so did her family.

"Take care, Lina," her mother told her. "If you need anything, you'll know where to find us."

Lina nodded. A wave of confidence rushed over her. She would always have them with her. This wouldn't be the last time she'd see them.

"I love you all."

As if someone had flipped a switch in her mind, her vision suddenly went black.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

"No, I don't." There was hesitation.

"Then you should have no problem disposing of him." Maura looked at Loki. "It was fun while it lasted, sweetheart."

With a flick of her wrist, Lina's bow appeared in Maura's hand. She gave it to Lina and stepped back.

Lina swallowed hard.

"Kill him."

She stared at her sister, then looked to Loki. She walked around him then stood a few yards away from where Loki and Maura were. She pulled back on the bowstring, the magnificent blue arrow forming along the side of her face.

"DO IT!" Maura yelled.

She closed her eyes tightly, her head pounding. Tears rushed down her face.

She let go.

It was over.

I hope you liked it! I'm kind of debating on rewriting this chapter but we'll see. Thank you to those who have been leaving reviews! Can't wait to hear more from you folks!

Thanks for reading!

-sparrowlina