Loki struggled through the toxic bog of venom and death that lay in wait for 'guests' of Hel. His body ached with each movement as the poison burned at his already damaged his flesh and stung his reddened eyes. The tormented wails of the condemned that lined the halls of the palace seemed less haunting than the words and threats laid upon him by Hel herself. Crossing the poisonous pond at a painfully slow pace, Loki proceeded to march past the clinging souls as they clawed helplessly at his feet and billowing cape. The urge the free each man from their binds was a temptation that he had to force from his mind, he could not afford to be distracted with Thor's soul at stake.
Passing through the massive gate of the palace a chill ran up his spine as the gates automatically creaked closed at an ear piercing decibel. The iron gates shuddered as they clanged shut tight, locking themselves by Hel's unseen hand.
Taking a final look as Eljudnir over his shoulder Loki walked across the foggy ground and eased his way down the edge of the cliff. It seemed as though his climb down took longer than the climb up. His weary body begged for him to stop and rest but time was of the essence. Thor needed him, now more than ever. His bloodied palms seeped with fresh blood and became matted with dirt as he inched his way down. Arms and legs trembling from exhaustion and pain forced Loki into an uncomfortably slow pace during his descent.
Nidafjoll loomed ominously at the foot of the cliff. The trek back to the entrance of Helheim would not be easy.
"You're fine Jane." Bruce smiled at her as he patted her shoulder. "Braxton-Hicks; very normal."
Jane sighed heavily and ran her shaking fingers through her loose hair as she sat at the foot of her bed. "You're sure? One hundred percent sure?"
"Yes." He walked toward the door of Jane's private quarters as he reassured her. "Just rest and don't worry about a thing. You'll be fine. You and the 'beyla'."
"Okay. Good idea." She carefully laid back on her bed and rested her head on her pillow and a hand on her impressive bump. "Everything will be fine..."
Bruce quietly left Jane alone in her quarters and his confident smile quickly faded. He shuffled his way back into the sitting room of the top floor with his eyes fixed on the floor.
Pepper was curled up on one of the couches with a cup of coffee in her hand and a miniature display screen, with the official report of Stark Industries, in the other. She casually glanced up when she sensed someone had walked into the room but when she saw Bruce's somber expression she put the display away and focused entirely on him.
"Bruce? Is everything alright?"
"What?" He looked up quickly, he wasn't expecting to see anyone in the sitting room. "Did you say something?"
"Now I know everything isn't alright." She sat up straight and locked her eyes on his face. "What's going on?"
Bruce took his glasses from his eyes and began to nervously fumble with the lenses as he sat on the couch opposite of Pepper. "Well, I think Jane might go into labor sooner than expected."
"Is it dangerous for her or the baby?"
"Oh, no. She's far enough along, and both she and the baby have checked out fine with every appointment."
"Then why are you worried?"
"Because I've never delivered a baby before and without Loki around to ease her physical symptoms..."
"Oh." Pepper relaxed her posture. "You're nervous and don't want to do the procedure solo."
"Exactly."
"Bruce..." Pepper rose from her couch and sat beside Bruce on his. "You'll do fine. You're one of the most skilled and gentle people I've ever met."
"Thanks." He sounded less than convinced. "I wonder if Tony has figured out what the storm or odd communication relays are, yet."
"We'll find out soon enough." She walked over to the first couch and picked up her emptied coffee mug. "Come on, I need a refill, join me."
Tony and Maria were standing side by side studying the display screen with the swirling storm at the center. The small red dots acting as foreign communication relays were suddenly not as interesting or important.
"J.A.R.V.I.S. how similar are the energy readings from the storm to the energy readings traced from the Bi-Frost?"
'The energy sources are identical by approximately 96%. The remaining 4% of energy stems from the wind speed circulating about the eye of the storm.'
"Uh-huh." Tony gave Maria an odd look. "What is the storm's current distance from Thor's hammer?"
'The storm appears to be originating from the exact coordinates of the hammer, Sir.'
Tony flashed his famous grin as if he had figured out the answer to an elaborate riddle. "Maria... Do you know how to pilot a jet?"
"Yes." She didn't like where the question was heading. "Why do you want to know?"
"I have a gut feeling that the storm is actually as a gateway between Earth and Asgard. Whatever is trying to get through the gate we need to take care of."
"And..." Maria watched as Tony jogged from the current display to a second monitor with a map of the arctic on screen, the coordinates mentioned by J.A.R.V.I.S. were highlighted. "what exactly are we going to be taking care of?"
"Loki."
"Loki? Shouldn't be return to Earth in the same way in which he left?"
"Doubt it. Loki was called away on a secret mission, or something..." He didn't know all the details but was more focused on charting a flight path. "...and since 'Secret Agent Man' has an indirect connection to the hammer, I'd wager the secret mission is related to this storm and we'll run into 'double-O seven' in the arctic."
"And you want to bring him back here?"
"Well, if you want to leave the God of Chaos with a hammer of unlimited destruction, then go ahead. But to be honest I've kind of grown fond of the little outcast. We have some things in common."
"Like, behavioral problems? Antisocial tendencies? Overwhelming connection to war and violence?" Maria was clear on the fact that she wasn't keen on the idea of reuniting with Loki.
"That. AND we have genius level intellects with the desire to atone for our past mistakes with an insatiable curiosity that's exasperated by our emotionally crippling 'daddy-issues'." He gave her an uncommonly seen serious look. "Plus, we both have killer hair." His joke helped lighten the heavy mood that was building.
Maria didn't quite know how to respond to Tony's personal revelation. It was clear that Tony was making amends for his misdeeds and decided that if everyone in the Tower was willing to give Loki the benefit of the doubt then maybe she should too. "Alright. When do we leave?"
"First, we need to get Banner. He's still in the Tower so it shouldn't take too long." He was heading toward the elevator and motioned for her to join him. "Second, we need to get to the hangar on the other side of town. That will take a little longer. And third, we need to make sure we're armed."
"Armed? Why?"
"From my experience when someone arrives on Earth through a gateway that leads to another dimension, they rarely travel alone."
Loki was fatigued and on the brink of collapse as he finally limped free of Nastrond and toward the warm bright light of the opened gates that led away from Helheim and back into The Chronicler's underground chamber. He was beginning to breathe heavier and his legs were aching from the forced effort to push himself forward on the soft sandy beach of the infamous 'Corpse Shore'. Through the clouded mist of his own escaping breaths Loki the light of freedom shined on his pale face giving him a second wind.
With his pace hastened Loki exited the gates of Helheim and stepped foot onto the bridge that connects the land of the dead to the land of the living. Each passing step across the bridge seemed to fill Loki with long depleted and very welcomed energy. From the end of the bridge Loki could see the stone table where Thor's body had been laid to rest, The Chronicler standing idle over the still form patiently awaiting Loki's return.
"I have..." Loki paused momentarily to take in a breath of fresh air. "I have returned. Hel agreed to-"
"I am aware of the deal at hand." The Chronicler answered quickly but gently. Her hand was resting on Thor's forehead. "Loki, do you truly understand the dire consequences that you will endure if you lose the impending combat?"
He looked at his lifeless Brother and grinned. "There have always been consequences from dueling with Thor. Having my soul bound to Hel seems only too fitting a punishment for my past sins."
"You have already accepted defeat?" The Chronicler looked at Loki with brimming curiosity.
"I have not. But I have accepted the gravity of the situation. I will fight, but I will not be fighting my Brother."
"Oh?"
"I will be fighting for my Brother. I am ready. No God nor Goddess or even Death itself shall interfere with my decision."
"A worthy answer, Odin's son."
With a gentle motion from her hand The Chronicler encompassed Thor's body with a mystical aura which returned a flicker of life to the long dead Prince. Thor sat up and his eyes slowly opened but were dull and unfocused. Rising to his feet and standing beside the table Loki tensed with mounting anxiety.
"Loki." The Chronicler proceeded to drape a royal purple cloak around Thor's shoulders and pulled the hood over his head. "When he awakens from his trance he will not remember you or recognize your name. His prolonged exposure to Hel and eternal anguish has tainted his soul. He will in a rage and unreasonable."
"Hel has driven him *berserk."
The Chronicler nodded sadly. "You must fight with all your strength if you are to survive."
"How long will his madness linger?"
"I cannot say for certain." She motioned for Loki to follow her to a secondary staircase hidden at the far edge of the cave, Thor followed still in a zombie-like state. "The strength of his heart, his willpower and his desire to return to life will all be a factor in the impending battle. He could return to his natural state after only a few minutes or..." She paused midsentence as she pressed a small stone that was jutting from the wall which opened a large door in the cave wall. "he could remain in a state of madness for years."
Loki swallowed nervously at this revelation. He looked back at his Brother over his shoulder. "Thor is far too stubborn to idle away in the blissful release of insanity."
"I pray that you are correct."
The trio walked through the hidden tunnel which was lit only by small torches of flames that burned eternally. All was silent. A sudden flash of sunlight from the end of the tunnel nearly blinded Loki as the threesome stepped out of the cave and into the freshest air that could be found on Asgard.
The tunnel had led to an exit at the bottom of the mountain range that stretched from beyond the central city of Asgard to the churning sea the flowed beneath the Rainbow Bridge. A lone boat with a great sail was tied off at the end of the tunnel.
Stepping into the boat carefully Loki felt his legs pain with the waves that rocked the boat. He clenched his teeth in pain and did his best to hide it from The Chronicler as she guided Thor down into the boat. Thor sat down slowly, his eyes never moving or focusing for an instant. As Loki released the rope that had tied the boat to the cave's exit, The Chronicler offered one final piece of advice.
"Loki. Do not forget that you are not alone. Allies are closer than you realize."
Nodding in respectful acknowledgement to The Chronicler, he tosses aside the rope and began sailing toward the end of the sea where the Bi-Frost and Heimdall awaited.
The sun was beginning to rise in Asgard. Loki felt the warm rays of the sun on his face, believing that this would be his final return to his childhood home.
...to be continued...
Author's Note: *Berserk. We know it as a synonym for crazy but in ancient times/Mythology when one was labeled 'berserk' it was because they were cursed or under a secondary influence where they would attack allies/friend/family in a vicious, uncontrollable assault.