Born to be a King

Chapter 26

The kingdom of Marr.

The shimmering gasses of the nebula that surrounded the realm of water created a sparkling dance of sunlight over the peaceful surface. The current swelled evenly as it neared the rocky shore of the Southern Cove, a stretch of massive, jagged rocks that protruded at the nether point of the realm. On the middle of largest formation, built into the rocky face was the temple, a mere decoy to deceive any who came to hunt for the treasure believed to be contained within.

Now, as the sun continued its slow and steady rise toward its zenith, a lone figure stood at the top of a peak on the beach. Loki looked out over the vast water that seemed to plunge off into space. The furious waves beneath seemed to almost reach him, then sprayed around him as if suddenly realizing that the one who stood at the peak was none other than the king who held absolute power over it all. He ruled this realm, he ruled these waters, he ruled over the creatures that teemed beneath the waves, and he was lord of the treasure hidden beneath the very rocks upon which he stood.

Loki smiled when the waters began to change. The placid surface began to churn, and creatures leaped out of the water only to the dive again as they rushed toward shore. He knew that the mer folk that inhabited Marr were fierce warriors. Half fish and half humanoid, they were a fearsome sight to behold. But the powerful warriors were not the only ones who held dominion over Marr. Beneath the deeps lurked a creature so terrifying it had instilled fear into the hearts of the old gods. The mightiest and biggest of the monsters of antiquity, Jormungandr reigned supreme over the kingdom of Marr.

Loki didn't even flinch when the surface suddenly exploded. The fearsome, mythical serpent of old emerged, and he finally came face to face with Jormungandr itself.

"You have the stone. What need is there to summon me now, king of Verdandi?" the giant serpent hissed.

"The human intruder has taken something from me. I seek to reclaim it"

"My orders from the king are to protect the stone. Not to fight his battles"

"I am your king" Loki stated, looking deep into the creature's reptilian eyes. "As guardian of my realm you are ordered to strike at my command., and I'm ordering you to lay waste to the forces that are soon to descend"

Jormungandr huffed indignantly at being given a direct order. He was the most feared of all of ancient monsters, and yet he knew that his survival depended on total compliance to the king of Verdandi, whoever said king may be. Beyard had been wise and temperate, this one seemed ruthless and cunning.

"As my king commands" the serpent finally relented "but make no mistake. I hold no account for any of the king's hosts that will fall along with the enemy"

"A price I'm willing to pay. You and the mer folk are to remain hidden until the signal to attack is given. We must let the human intruders make landfall before we strike. Once you attack, you will not desist until the metal man's forces are utterly destroyed"

"My king is both tactical and shrewd" the serpent admired "I will do as commanded. But only this once"

"That's exactly what Fenrir said" Loki goaded.

Jormungandr scoffed at that, then retreated back into the sea a good distance away from the shore, then roared and submerged to wait for battle.

Loki watched the monster disappear, then hiked down the peak toward the small rocks that protruded from the ocean, then crossed them to the cliff on the opposite side of the massive rock where the temple was located. He climbed upwards toward the caves carved into the wall of the cliff. He reached the one that had housed the stone, and as he stood on the entrance, he caught the distant sound of machinery. Looking up, he saw the silhouettes of thousands of ships that were entering the atmosphere.

"Come to me, my pet" he whispered when he noticed the biggest aircraft break through and begin its descent. He knew that Barbara was in it, waiting to leap out and make her way to the prize hidden inside the cavern.

Loki chuckled to himself, then walked into the cave.

The cave was silent, save for the sound of water dripping from the stalactites. On opposite sides of the grotto, Thor and Loki waited to hear the unmistakable sound of feminine footsteps. Thor was hidden behind a rock formation that was high above the hallway-like chamber. Loki hid behind columns of limestone, holding a long, thin katana sword in his hand.

They did not wait long.

Soon the distant clackety-clack of heels against solid rock began to echo into the deep chamber. It became stronger and stronger until the feminine footsteps resounded inside.

Thor hid further into the rock formations. Loki steeled himself and closed his eyes, letting out a silent sigh.

The feminine figure clad entirely in black rushed to the vaults built into the rock. She looked into each one until finally, she stopped in front of the middle chamber. On top of the platform was the containment chamber in which the Soul Gem bobbed weightlessly inside. She curled her hand into a fist, drew her arm back and then her eyes widened when her elbow went right through. Both the containment chamber and the stone were just a holographic double.

An illusion.

Was the stone really housed beneath the temple? Was the decoy the actual place? She stood there befuddled, trying to decipher the ancient riddle that fooled her into going to the caverns instead of the temple. Then she suddenly stood up straight upon being hit by the unmistakable feeling of not being alone. Her hand went to the hilt of the sword strapped to her back...

"Are you looking for this?" came the amused voice from the end of the chamber. She unsheathed her remaining sword and aimed it in the direction of the voice just as Loki stepped out from behind the columns.

"I should have known" Barbara growled "you would have deciphered it too" her eyes burned with anger when she saw that he held up a small case for her to see. Inside was the Soul Gem, shimmering in hues of green and gold. On his other hand was her missing sword.

He chuckled when he saw the flustered look on her face. He placed the gem case back inside his vest and faced her head on.

"I remember that night on Midgard when you presented me with your acquisitions" he said, now holding the sword up and admiring it "you were so proud. 'The sharpest blade on Earth' is what you said to me. And now, here you are, the deadliest woman in the universe. You are what I made of you. But it seems that you forgot everything I taught you when you left this embedded in Beyard's core. I trained you to be better. I taught you to be disciplined and meticulous, not rash and impulsive"

She raised an eyebrow at his words.

"What game is this, Loki? Have you finally gone mad? I would really like to know, just to amuse me. Not that it matters anyway since the outcome will be no different, because I'm walking out of here with that stone after I rip it out of your cold, dead hands"

Loki laughed, long and loud. "Now there's my girl. Well, if you're going to kill me my pet, you're going to need both"

He tossed the sword at her, and she caught it. The moment she did, she lunged. The Merciless Spear materialized in Loki's hand just in time to block her blades that both collided with his weapon.

Meanwhile outside, the rest of Doom's armada had broken through the atmosphere. Doombots jumped out of the ships and began to overrun the jagged rocks. Many swarmed into the temple, and Doom's aircraft landed on the summit of the largest rock. The hatch opened and he walked out, carrying a massive power cannon in his hands.

"Secure a perimeter all around the cove" he ordered his army "They must not reach the ground. We will retreat as soon as Barbara has the sto..."

Suddenly, he stopped and watched in shock as a large number of Inkeri ran out of the caverns toward them.

"Mehmet, now!" Stindagr shouted to the heavens as he led his savage warriors to meet the robotic hosts. The skies opened and a blinding light exploded in the atmosphere. Thousands upon thousands of fearsome Shadow warriors made landfall on the Southern Cove, and the suns were almost blocked out as the Shadow craft swooped down onto Doom's armada. Stingadr fought his way to the summit and faced the sea.

"Jormungandr! In the name of the king you are hereby summoned!"

"No..." Doom whispered as he watched the waters begin to churn as if disturbed by a powerful force. The wind picked up, the tide rose significantly, and the swells became higher and angry. The current began to rage in all directions, and suddenly, the surface exploded in a watery blast as the massive serpent burst out of the ocean. Its ginormous body uncoiled and splashed, creating massive waves that crashed violently against the jagged rocks. A deafening roar filled the air, and the Southern Cove trembled from deep beneath the earth.

"Very clever, Loki. Very clever" Doomed growled, realizing that he had bested him, then he took off when another realization hit him. With grave urgency, he began to fight his way across the summit to the opposite side of the cove, toward the caves hidden in the rock. Loki had gotten to the stone first, and now Barbara was inside the cavern.

Suddenly, mer folk leaped out of the water, each of them grabbing a doombot before diving again, thus taking them into a watery grave. Others broke the surface and threw spears at the bots, taking them down by the dozens. Spears barely missed Doom as he ran across the summit, then he stopped in his tracks when a large, powerful Inkeri leaped from the fray and landed on his feet right in front of him.

"You shall go no further, metal man" Stingadr challenged.

Doom rolled his eyes. "I really hate distractions" he sighed as he powered his big cannon, but then a massive wave created by Jormungadr slammed into the rock formation. Doombots, Inkeri and Shadow Legions alike were swept away into the raging sea. Doom and Stingadr almost met the same fate, but they held on to columns of rock.

Inside the cavern, Loki and Barbara were knocked down when the entire rock formation began to shake violently. Taking the opportunity, Loki kicked her swords away just as she reached for them. Then he tossed his own spear aside.

"Come on" Loki winked at her, beckoning her with his hand. Barbara seethed with rage upon seeing the lecherous smile on his face as he tried to lure her closer. He was enjoying this. She pulled a dagger out of her boot and ran towards him. Barbara was relentless as she tried time and time again to land a single blow, but each kick, punch and swing was effortlessly avoided. When she turned quickly and tried to stab him in the thigh, his hand took hold of her wrist and he twisted her arm in a way to bring her against him. Her back collided with his chest and he laughed in her ear.

"Basic principles, my pet: Let passion fuel your rage but let your mind rule your movements" he whispered in her ear "never lose sight of an opponent's weapon" he said as he twisted her arms just a tad bit more, eliciting a cry of pain from her and causing her to drop the dagger. "Oh, and you must never forget..."

"Never underestimate your opponent?" she chuckled as she lifted her leg and then brought her heeled foot down on Loki's boot. He bent over forward as the pain exploded in his foot, loosening his hold on her slightly. She slammed the elbow of her free arm into his middle, and she broke free. She aimed a kick at Loki's chest, but took hold of her leg as soon as she lifted it. He threw her backwards and she rolled on the rocks across the floor of the cave.

Barbara let out a roar of anger upon realizing that he was not returning her blows, only avoiding them. He was circling her now, looking down at her amused, and did she dare imagine it, proud and lovingly?

"I trained you well, my sweet" Loki purred. His fiendish smile did not falter when she rose to her feet and glared at him.

"Fight me!" she rasped through her ragged breathing.

"Is that your new way of asking me to take you?" he quipped "you astonish me, Barbara. You've gone primeval and unrefined, from your feeble attempt at combat, to that ridiculous garb of yours. Flattering, yes, but totally unbecoming"

She lunged at him and this time, she managed to wrap her legs around his neck, then she flipped herself over, bringing Loki down with her. He laughed as she continued to trap him with her thighs in a crushing embrace. "Now this I like. Your quim looks perfectly plump and delicious in my face, I can smell it. Musky and sweet, as always"

"You perverted bastard" Barbara growled, then Loki grunted in pain when she landed a well-placed punch to his gut. She took the opportunity at his sudden disadvantage and dove into his vest for the stone.

"Oh no you don't" Loki teased, then taking hold of her, flipped her over and she landed on her back on the floor. Loki quickly trapped her beneath him, locked her hands with his own, and tangled her arms just as her eyes began to change and the cave began to quake.

"I alone have total power over you, my pet. Never forget that" he goaded at her. She felt her powers being restrained and she looked up at Loki stupefied. How was it possible? She could never be contained.

Thor now walked out onto the scene, and upon seeing him, Barbara's eyes went wide.

"Thor?!" she asked in utter shock "how?!"

"Please forgive me Barbara" he begged as he twirled Mjolnir in his hand "but I must do this"

Realizing what he meant, Barbara panicked and began to fight against Loki's hold with newfound urgency. Loki held her in place as she squirmed and kicked at him with all her might.

"Do it now!" he yelled at Thor.

In a last, desperate attempt, she tried to bite Loki's hand, but he saw her intent. He slammed her head against the rocks, just enough to leave her woozy.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry" he apologized over and over as he positioned her so that her head dangled forward, exponsing her neck and the back of her head. Loki closed his eyes and braced himself to hear the sickening thud. Thor drew his arm back...

... and Mjolnir went flying out of his hand toward the cave entrance, where Doom now stood holding a big weapon in his hands. Smoke escaped the barrel, and a blast was flying towards Loki. He avoided it just in time, and he and Barbara rolled off into a shallow pool.

Mjolnir collided with Doom and he went flying out of the cavern and into the sea, where Jormungandr was still wreaking havoc. Now unrestrained but still woozy, Barbara tried to summon her powers and the cavern began to shake violently, causing stalactites to rip off the ceiling and rain down into the chamber like vertical daggers. Both Thor and Loki lunged for Barbara at the same time, and together, they brought her down in the shallow water. Mjolnir flew back into Thor's hand, and the blunt end of the hammer collided with the back of Barbara's head with a dull thuck!

Barbara went still and the cavern stopped collapsing into itself.

Thor stood back and there, still kneeling in the shallow pool, Loki was holding an unconscious Barbara against him.

"It's all over now, my love. You're safe" he whispered into her unhearing ears.

"Loki, the battle still rages" Thor said, pulling him out of his trance.

"We have what we came for. We leave now" Loki said. Carrying Barbara, he walked toward the entrance of the cavern but the moment he reached the outside, he was met with a scene of utter chaos.

The raging waters were filled with bodies of both his men and Doom's cyborgs. Many continued to fall off the cliffs into the sea, mer folk were feasting on the fallen, and Jormungandr was running rampant. Tidal wave after tidal wave crashed into the Southern Cove as the monster serpent broke the surface and slammed itself onto the largest of the rock formations in an attempt to bring down the masses still locked in battle atop the temple.

Loki and Thor shielded themselves against the rocks as another tidal wave crashed against the cliff wall. The cavern flooded with the swell, and once it retreated, they were almost pulled into the ocean.

"Order Stingadr to retreat! Call all the legions back but Jormungandr is to continue the assault until he annihilates all of Doom's army!" Loki shouted at Thor, who immediately took off toward the summit.

"Where is the king?!" Stingadr demanded the moment Thor landed.

"He is in possession of Barbara and the stone! Sound the retreat! We must get out of here NOW!" Thor shouted back as he fought against the doombots who had swarmed him. One by one they all began to fall to Thor's might, leaving the way open for Stingadr to retreat.

"Fall back! Protect the king!" Stingadr shouted at the Inkeri warriors, who scrambled toward the side of the cliff where the caverns were hidden. Stingadr alerted Durrgo in the air, and he directed his aircraft to the side of the peak where his king was waiting.

Now aboard the aircraft, Loki sat on a bench. He rested his head against the wall of the ship, and finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Mehmet, open the gates" he whispered.

Immediately, the kingdom of Marr was emptied of Loki's forces. On a small rock protruding from the ocean, Victor von Doom watched as the aircraft carrying Loki now disappeared into the Ether Road, then he roared upwards to the heavens.

He roared, not because he was defeated. Not because he had failed to acquire the stone. Not because his army was being destroyed by a mythical sea monster.

He roared, because his prize had been stolen from him.

Again.

Evening now gave way into night.

The day of battle was over and the king had been victorious. The five realms should have become lost in the uproar of celebration once more, but no merrymaking was to be had. The palace was quiet. The banquet halls were empty, the throne room was void of its occupant, and the corridors of the royal residence were filled only by guards. Only a few lights burned in the king's chambers as he shut himself inside his most private sanctum and placed the small figure on the bed.

Loki had barely even acknowledged Thor's request to speak to the Verdandinian princess upon their return. He only nodded when a guard delivered the news that Diarmaid had been apprehended and was currently imprisoned in the dungeons. He had refused the fawning of servants, and requested only that he was to be left undisturbed till dawn.

He now stood over Barbara's unconscious figure lying on the bed.

With almost numb fingers, he began to tear at the bodysuit that covered her. It was made of some foreign and synthetic material that seemed to react to her body's biological make up. When she was finally completely exposed, he examined her from head to toe looking for any modifications to her physiology. With a sigh of relief he realized that there were none. No marks were on her body, and he found no mechanical alterations. He had feared that that human cur had altered her body to suit his own mechanical constitution.

And then he noticed it. The single piece of metal placed on her body.

Taking her right hand, he studied the silver band with a solitary diamond that adorned the fourth finger, exactly where her wedding ring had once been. Gone was the opulent golden band with emeralds and black diamonds that he had commissioned from Dvalin. The same dwarf who had forged Gungnir had created the lavish, intricate and powerful symbol of her status as a queen, and it now lay discarded gods-knew-where as though it were a mere trinket.

With a hiss, Loki tore the band from her finger and threw it across the room. Sitting on the bed, he buried his face in her hand, reveling once again in the warmth that had been roughly taken from him... and given to another.

A sob, small and hitched, broke the dam, and Loki finally succumbed. He wept, not out of relief, but of sheer rage at what might have become. Barbara would be dead. His son would be dead. Thousands of years would pass and he would have never known that those dearest to his heart had fallen prey to the Mistress of Death.

And then, there was Victor von Doom. He gritted his teeth, looking out past the open balcony into the peaceful and quiet night. Somewhere out there, that whoreson still breathed. He knew it. There was still one more battle to fight before that scum was finally dead.

Instinctively, his hand reached out to touch her, his fingers tracing over the curves of her body. He knew every line, every pore, and every feature of her glorious form. He knew she would be burdened with immeasurable guilt and grief upon awakening and realizing the magnitude of what had happened. What she had done while in the clutches of von Doom would be considered unforgivable if done in her right mind. It was betrayal of the worst kind. The road that lay ahead of them was not going to be easy, but he would make sure that in time she never even so much as remembered the name of that human wretch. She would once again be his and his alone.

And then, there was Ireena. Loki scoffed at the irony. That had been a very close call.

Barbara stirred on the bed, pulling him from his thoughts. She whined in her sleep, reaching her hand out towards him.

"Barbara" he whispered, taking her hand and kissing her palm "everything will be as it once was. I swear it"

She let out a deep sigh that sounded like a sob or a sigh of relief, and she stilled again.

It was dawn when Thor and Stingadr walked out of the Ireena' chambers. The entire night had been spent answering the Asgardian king's many questions. Stingadr had told Thor everything, from the moment the princess had arrived as an infant, to the moment King Beyard had executed his most devious scheme. Ireena had divulged everything she had known of her father, and the plans he and Odin had concocted long ago. Thor now left the princess' chambers deep in thought and determined, Stingadr left it hopeful.

As they made their way through the halls of the palace, speaking of how eager they were to see Barbara restored, they were met with the sight of palace guards running towards the highest floor.

"To the king!" one shouted frantically.

Immediately, Thor and Stingadr ran ahead and almost flew down the corridor to the large double doors at the end. They burst into Loki's chamber and froze at the doors, astonished by what they saw.

Wrapped in a white sheet and struggling on the floor, Barbara was raving and screaming. She fought against Loki who held her in a near bone-breaking grip. He was shouting at the guard who held a set of heavy chains to manacle her hands and feet. Barbara shouted the worst of obscenities at Loki as she was being chained, spewing hatred and screaming threat after threat. When she was finally restrained, Loki placed upon her a sleep spell, and she went limp and quiet. He wrapped the sheet tighter around her and picked her up, then noticed Thor standing at the doors.

Thor could only register the look of despair in Loki's eyes as they locked with his own.

"It didn't work" Loki rasped.

"But Mjolnir shattered the spell..." Thor frowned in confusion.

"The spell was broken, but... her mind...he...he..." Loki's voice broke, unable to finish. It was unthinkable.

Thor's eyes widened. No, it couldn't be.

"He altered her mind"

End of Chapter 26

Responses to reviews:

LokiGrey: Hi 'Becca! I'm glad that things are going well for you. I know what you mean about how hard it is to lose weight. Mine has been a never-ending struggle. It fluctuates like crazy. I'm 5'1 and my weight fluctuates between 125-135. With time and with age you just learn that your body settles for a comfortable weight, and I've learned to accept that mine is in that range. No matter how many diets I take, how healthy I eat, and even what workouts I do, I will always be a little curvy, and I've come to accept it. I just try to eat as healthy as much I can, but I hate exercising lol. I love the fact that I will never be model thin, guys don't like to snuggle a stick anyway Lol How you been, hun?

CLTex: Yay Thor's back! I actually love writing Thor. He's like this gigantic teddy bear that's all about being noble and courageous and adorable! God love him, he's like a ray of sunshine! Love ya Christi!

Guest: Thank you, thank you! Glad you love the story! :)

LisaF: Hi, Lisa! Thanks for reviewing, as always ;)

Anon fan: Tru tru, the struggle is real girl. You've got to do you. It's a nasty world out and to make it you've got to fight against the grind. It's the hard knock life for us girl, but we make it work! ;)

Hiddles-Skittles: Sorry not sorry! Lol You know I have to torture you for just a little longer ;)

Fireelfmaiden: Hello! Thank you so much! Hope you continue to enjoy! :)

Guest: Oooh, you hate Ireena? You're not alone in that. Ireena has literally split the readers in half, there are those who really like her, and those that completely despise her. I actually really like seeing the reactions I get to her character. A precious princess indeed. Spoiled and entitled all her life lol. As to how she ends up...well, wait and see! You'll like it, I promise!