23 - The Stone
Asgard, the realm Eternal, outside Loki's former cell
With a scowl, Malekith picked himself up off the floor. The witch had escaped, and Skurge was currently nowhere in sight. This had been planned as a simple mission. Force the information out of the queen, or at least capture her to use as a guide, and remind the allfather that Asgard was far from the only force in the realms. Instead, Frigga had fled, along with Loki and an unknown factor. He knelt, picking up his fallen dagger. Flicking his hand out in front of him, the elven king opened a portal, allowing his warriors to move through first before following them. The portal had opened up into the entrance hall of the palace. Great pillars rose all around them, blocking the Asgardian soldiers from their fire as they rushed into the hall from all sides. Malekith snapped his fingers, urging his own warriors to engage as he opened another portal, stepping out next to one of the Einherjar. He slashed his dagger across the throat of the Asgardian, killing him instantly. Leaping from one portal to the next, Malekith danced across the battlefield, removing the Asgardians one and two at a time. He could take his revenge on Odin later. For now, he had to save his race from extinction. To do that, he had to escape this forsaken realm and continue his pursuit of the queen and the stone. An enraged shout drew his attention.
Lightning arced throughout the chamber as the Asgardian survivors retreated in the direction of the voice. The arcane lightning leaped from one dark elf to the other, cooking his soldiers in their armour. Thor rushed towards him, four more Asgardian warriors following behind him as he sailed through the air, Hammer pulled back to strike Malekith on the head. Malekith drew his sword, blocking the stroke with both his weapons. Gritting his teeth, the god of Thunder swung the hammer towards Malekith's side, sheathed in lightning. The energy crackled as it slammed into him, coursing through his body, and throwing him into one of the nearby pillars. Malekith grinned as he used the pillar to push himself to his feet once more. The five Asgardians surrounded him, each brandishing weapons. Thor's eyes crackled with blue arcane energy. "Odinson. Heir to the Allfather. I have heard wonderful things about you Thor. I am pleased to see they are all true". The prince smirked.
"Surrender, elf," he spat spitefully. "You are no match for our might. You will be returned to your prison for eternity, yet you shall also live". Malekith laughed.
"You are indeed mighty, oh Thunderer! Yet tell me, do you know where your mother and brother are?"
"My mother is safe, my brother in his cell."
"Are they? When last I saw, your mother had been dealt a mortal blow, and was transporting herself, some mortal, and your brother from this realm in a vain attempt to escape me". He smirked at the god, waiting. Predictably, Thor fell for his trap. With an enraged scream, the Asgardian hurled his weapon towards Malekith, who casually cast a portal in front of its path at the last moment, sending it from the room. The second portal opened behind the god of thunder, Mjolnir slamming into the back of his head and sending him sprawling. Malekith laughed as he stepped through another portal, finding himself back on his ship above the city. The enchantress and the executioner were already aboard, the former seeing to the latter's injuries. Amora glanced up as he stepped onto the vessel.
"The queen?" Malekith shook his head.
"Escaped. We shall have to find the relic on our own". Amora stood to her full height.
"It is of no concern, my king," she replied, "I shall scry the queen, and then call upon the Black Bifrost and my own magic to bring us to her. Fear not, Malekith, Frigga will lead you to your prize. One way or the other".
–AoS–
Loki pushed himself into a standing position and made his way to where his mother had landed. Bending, he helped her to her feet, avoiding looking at her wound as the effort of standing made her wince. She placed her hand on his shoulder, leaning on him as she gripped her side. "Are you alright? We must heal you". She shook her head.
"No! I shall be fine, at least for a time. Save your magic. We must determine where we are". Loki sighed.
"I have my suspicions, mother", he stated grimly, glancing warily in the direction of the palace of oily black stone, "I merely hope they are wrong". Frigga followed his gaze.
"Oh my", she breathed. "Yes, we must preserve our magic. It is vital we get out of this place. And soon". Loki nodded grimly. A shout broke through the silence, reminding him of their other companions. His mother, continuing to lean on him, hurried in the direction of the sound. With no other choice, Loki followed her, gritting his teeth. They found the mortal girl crying over Thor's friend Sentinel, calling his mortal name. The young man's face was covered by burns, and his veins, visible underneath his writhing suit, were a sickly silver. He seemed to be unconscious, if not dead. Beside him, Frigga gasped. "What has happened here?" she breathed aloud. The girl merely whimpered, shaking her head desperately and continuing her efforts to rouse the unmoving 'Avenger'.
"Magic," Loki supplied. His mother nodded, catching on immediately.
"Of course," she agreed, glancing around and tilting her head to the cloud strewn sky above their heads. "Harridanites need vast supplies of energy to fuel their powers. They have the capability to actively drain more to increase their output, yet their bodies - or in this one's case, suits - always draw energy from whatever source they can find. It is as natural as breathing. The usual source is the energy from stars, of course". She knelt on the other side of the young mortal. The blonde's eyes snapped up.
"What does that have to do with anything?" she demanded, as his mother placed a hand on the young man's chest and neck.
"Everything," Loki replied with a shrug. "Magic is energy, though it is far from natural. Asgardian bodies are hyper specialised. Their cells are designed to drink in energy from around them. Any natural energy will fuel their reserves, giving them near unmatched power. Unnatural forms, such as magic, have the opposite effect. The spell my mother cast was exceptionally powerful. It spent a great deal of energy, yet it also released a huge excess of arcane energy. Normally, that energy would have dissipated harmlessly, joining with the bifrost, or being consumed by the Yggdrasil. Instead, it was all drunk in by your friend's cells. The cells could not convert the energy, and as it could not leave the body, it is now poisoning him.
Frigga nodded, once more staring up at the sky above. "Under normal circumstances, whilst the magic would limit the capabilities of a Harridanite, the energy would be neutralised over time by more natural sources. The brighter the star, the more potent the effect, the shorter the magic remains in his system. Unfortunately, when they first came here, the Harridanites burnt out this planet's star centuries ago in their efforts to sculpt it to its purpose. Nar-Von shall find no energy in this world. If he is to survive, we must find our way off this place quickly".
Loki gaped at her. "You mean to bring him with us?" she shook her head.
"We do not have time for that. We must reach our destination soon, and bringing him would slow us down. We shall return for him when we have what we need". The girl narrowed her eyes.
"Can't you just get us out of here?" his mother shook her head.
"There is a powerful arcane barrier, sealing us in this place. A simple portal would not allow an escape. It would take considerable power to get out of here".
"I will stay with him then" she stated coldly. His mother sighed.
"Gwen…" she spoke softly.
"Very well," Loki cut in, causing both of them to turn their gaze on him at once. He shrugged.
"The girl would also just slow us down. It is better she remain here to guard Thor's play thing, whilst we do the real work". Glaring at him, his mother hesitated, turning back to the girl.
"You would be in danger". She whispered. The girl smiled. She tilted her head up.
"Not the first time". Reluctantly, his mother allowed him to pull her to her feet once more. As they made their way north towards the palace, his mother cast her eyes carefully along the ground beneath them and along the horizon, watching all around them.
"Why did you bring us here?"
"I did not mean to."
"What?"
"I suspect that with Malekith demanding the relic, my magic subconsciously reached for it and brought us to its resting place". Loki chuckled.
"So, you left it here then? At least no one would be mad enough to come seeking it". She shook her head.
"I was not lying when I told the elf I could not bring him to it. The magic I wove all those centuries ago draws power from the thing itself, and the spell moves it, constantly ahead of any who might seek it. Even me. I do not know how long it will remain here. We can only hope the spell recognises me, and it stays in one location long enough to be retrieved".
Loki gaped at her. "You cannot mean to-"
"I fear I do, my son. Malekith will not give up his quest. Even now, he will be continuing the hunt. To keep him from it, you and I must recover the Reality Stone".
–AoS–
Groping in the dark, the creature crawled over the surface of the planet. This world was one of sorrow and pain. It had been dying long before the children of the stars came and snuffed out its song. Their machines had prolonged its death, keeping it immobilised, unable to pass into the void with its long gone star. The place at the centre that they had forged in the time past had made matters worse. That place was wrong. The children of the stars had called it a prison, a word the creature could not in truth comprehend. Its life was one of benevolence, an endless journey to improve the universe. Vaguely, it remembered things it ought to have long since forgotten. Or was it long since? The creature had no concept of how long had passed since the children came and went. Time was irrelevant to it. All it knew is that the ones who had stolen the life and energy from this place were dead. All but one of those they had imprisoned here - their own kind, left in a world where their cells could not join the song - were also dead. Each death had been a sharp pain, though now it hardly remembered them anymore. It may have been a day. Perhaps centuries or more. Once, it had shared the Voice. Now, that was all gone. Perhaps it had been cast out for some transgression like others before had been. Perhaps, it was the last of its kind.
It paused briefly. Lifeforms. In all the time it had been here, for so long there had been nothing. Since the children had passed, and the planet slowly died, none had come. For so long, it had been alone on this barren rock. No longer. Moving once more, it crept along the rocky surface towards the life it could sense. It wasn't alone anymore. Now, perhaps it might never need to be alone again. There were two of them, similar, yet different. One was a kind of life the creature had never felt before, mind and emotions uniquely new. The other was part like that, and part of something familiar. It wondered as it inched forward how that could be. Both were injured. One was dying. The closer of the two was lying on the ground, silent and unmoving. The other was standing over the first, facing away from them. The choice was an easy one to make.
The one lifeform was plainly unsuitable, its life energy being rapidly diminished. The other, whilst injured and drained, would survive. Logic dictated the choice to be made; there was only one option.
Why it chose to bond itself to the dying creature, the symbiote did not know. It only knew to do so felt right.
–AoS–
Thor barged into the throne room past the guards, Sif and his friends hurrying in behind him. His father twisted around to regard him as he rushed towards him. "Father," he exclaimed, rushing to Odin. "We must do something!" the Allfather stared at his heir for several long moments. Father and son stood silently across from one another, neither moving or making a sound. Finally, Odin laughed, the sound dark and mocking. He turned away from Thor, gripping Gleipnir as he did so.
"My son. Thor. Prince of Asgard. My first born. Protector of my kingdom and my throne. A gate watcher who cannot watch my gates, a queen who has vanished into the Aether. The convergence set to be used by Malekith the Accursed to set the realms ablaze. Loki escaped, to wreak what havoc, I cannot say," Thor's father sneered at him. "And here comes Thor, the mighty warrior demanding rash action from his king that would leave Asgard undefended." he turned away once more, still laughing softly. "So what is it you would suggest, boy? Send all the forces of Asgard into the cosmos to search in vain? Leave our people without protection?"
"I suggest we do something!" Thor bellowed back, advancing on his father. Volstagg and Sif leaped forward, holding him back. Heedless of his friends, Thor continued. "We were just attacked. Our people were slaughtered! If Heimdall is truly blind, Malekith's forces would be standing on top of your palace, and you would not even know it!" Tiny blue sparks erupted across his skin as he continued, more enraged with each word. "Your wife - my mother - could very well be dead, and you do not even care-" Odin rounded on him, striking him across the cheek with Gleipnir.
"Do not presume to tell me how I feel," Odin spoke slowly, voice low. Thor hesitantly took a step back at the look in his father's eye. He was now faced with Odin Borsson, Allfather, and king of Asgard. And in that moment, Thor understood why his father was still feared across the nine realms and beyond. The hair on the back of Thor's neck stood up. His father continued. "My home was attacked by an enemy I assumed long ago vanquished, beyond harming us. My people were slaughtered. My son, my wife, and my guests are lost somewhere in the universe. But giving in to panic, like a fool, shall not resolve any of these matters". Odin moved towards him, placing a hand on the back of his head. "You are my son. My greatest warrior. A prince of Asgard. Now; act like it". Hesitantly, Thor nodded, standing down.
Thor lowered his eyes. He was supposed to be heir. One day, it was his role to succeed his father as king. Yet whenever he compared himself to Odin, he found himself wanting. The man before him had steered the nine realms for centuries. Thor could not even master himself. His father was right. Fear would help no one. Not Asgard, nor his mother, brother, or friends. He turned back to his father.
"What would my king have of me…father?" I am…I apologise for my words. They were rash, unthinking."
"We must wait, and prepare. Heimdall sees much, but not all. Though he cannot see the Dark Elves, it may be he might see the mortal girl with your mother. And if I know Frigga, I expect her first thought will be to send us a signal. Heimdall shall watch the heavens. When we know where your mother is, you shall go to her. You will bring them home, your mother to me, Loki to his cell". Thor nodded gravely. It would not do, he knew, to push the matter of Loki. "There are only a handful of places Heimdall cannot see, if he wishes. Since we are blind to her, it falls to Frigga to summon us to her. If we are patient, and wise, paying attention to these places, we will find your mother".
–AoS–
Slowly, Nate opened his, unsure of his surroundings. The last he remembered was the burning. It had encompassed his entire body, a sensation worse than any he had experienced before. He had heard Gwen's whispered call for help. Found Loki free from his cell, and some thing accosting Gwen and Thor's mother. Whoever Loki's new allies were, it seemed they had done their jobs well. Nate was stranded on a planet with no sun, and the queen was most likely dead. At least Gwen was safe, he reassured himself, listening to her nearby heartbeat. To his great shock, the burning was gone, and he seemed to be still alive. Sitting up, he was even more stunned to find he was not as weak as he had expected. Certainly he did not feel like he should have, but it was not as terrible as he had first imagined. Gwen was facing away from him, but she spun around at the sound of him moving.
"You're alive!" she shouted joyfully, "you're better again!" Nate nodded.
"I seem to be". The grin on Gwen's face fell, replaced by a look of stunned confusion.
"What is it?" he asked.
"The suit. It changed".
Curious, Nate glanced down. Sure enough, the suit was different now; gone was the red on the torso and cape. From head to toe, he was covered in an inky black, save for the bright red crest upon his chest, like a blood stain. He stood to his fall height, and made his way over to Gwen. she frowned as she reached out, running a hand over the bright S. "I don't like this," she whispered softly, meeting his eyes. Nate shook his head. There was something wrong here. He shouldn't have been able to walk off absorbing that much magic without another source of energy to clean it from his system. And the suit should not have changed without his say so. Still…
"It's possible that whatever this thing is, it may have saved my life. I think we trust the suit. At least for now". Gwen nodded hesitantly.
"We should get moving. Maybe we can still catch up". Nate nodded, wrapping an arm around her and floating upwards.
–AoS–
They stood at the foot of the palace, huge double doors sealed shut against any wishing entry. Frigga, no longer leaning on him, stared up at the solid black stone. Loki felt a shiver run down his spine, and cast an uneasy glance around them. "Do you truly think this is wise?" he muttered. "These doors were sealed for a purpose. To open them now…" he trailed off, allowing the thought to hang in the air between them. His mother reached out with her eyes closed, running a hand down the narrow seam through the middle of the doors. Her hand glowed faintly as she called upon her magic, sensing the energies in the room beyond.
"To get to the heart of the ancient city and tear down the barrier, we must pass through this place," she spoke, voice little more than a breath on the wind. "And I sense that the reality stone lies within". Loki's already pale skin turned to bone". If we are too late. If the creature has it". Frigga shook her head.
"It may not. It may yet have died, some time ago". She pushed her magic through the crack, and the doors slowly slung open of their own volition.
"And you truly believe that?"
"No".
–AoS–
They landed at the top of a great black staircase, an open pair of gargantuan doors opened before them. Nate's head throbbed violently as they approached. Curious, he ran a hand over the fused black stone of the door. It rippled at his touch, as the pod Fara'Dein sent to Earth had done once before. He pulled his hand back, a feeling of uncertainty settling over him, as he glanced at his fingers. His suit had recoiled violently from the door's touch, as though it too feared to enter the palace. He glanced sideways at Gwen, who, peering curiously at the images carved into the wall nearby, seemed not to have noticed. He stared into the darkness of the palace, and for the first time since acquiring the suit, Nathaniel Thomas felt cold. Pulling herself away from the pictographs on the wall, Gwen made her way over, wrapping her arm through his.
"Are you ok?"
"You're certain they came this way?" she nodded. "Nothing for it then. Lets go". They stepped through the doors.
–AoS–
As they made their way into the darkness of the central chamber, neither of them saw or heard the symbiote detach itself from his cape and trigger the stone to seal the doors behind them.
–AoS–
They trudged through the halls of the palace, guided only by the small light of the emerald flame held aloft in his arm. Thor and his old friends claimed that Jotunheim was cold, Niffleheim worse still. Loki had never dared tread the paths of the realm of the dead, yet he'd journeyed to Jotunheim once in his life, when he'd concocted the plan to send the giants to Midgard with the casket. The cold there had been almost unnoticeable, little more than an autumnal night. Here, it clung to his bones, and seeped into him like a thousand knives. Subconsciously, he pulled the hand holding the flame closer to his chest. His mother cast him a curious glance, which he did his best to wave off. It would not do to show weakness to an Asgardian here of all places.
Their only companions in the dark were the strange images and words carved into the walls. If they had ever meant anything, Loki knew, such meaning had wrong been forgotten. Only ghosts remained to keep the secrets of this place. It was a peculiar thought. In his youth, Loki recalled believing that his father was the wisest and oldest being that had ever lived, with his kind yet tired gleaming eye, and the great white beard that had ever seemed to frame his face. Now, here he was, daring to tread through the halls of a place that had been ancient before the age of kings. "When we were children," he began, voice deliberately casual, "Thor always preferred the scary stories", she smiled, whispering softly that she remembered. Loki nodded, "he always enjoyed trying to use them to frighten me after I pranked him". She smiled fondly, and despite himself, Loki caught himself mirroring the gesture. "As such, I have never asked, and yet, I now find myself wondering; what…exactly…did they hide here?" the air seemed to stiffen around them at his words. For a long time, his mother did not speak. Finally, her reply came, slow and careful.
"Asgardians are not the only culture with a story of how the realms might end. Ragnarok is far from a unique legend. In their oldest tales, the Harridanites spoke of a creature. A demon. One that would, in the end of days, slay the god of light. Some claim that Nar-Von, the original one, somehow tricked this creature, and placed powerful protections on this place. Protections that would keep the creature here. Others claim that what was buried here was the results of his earliest experiments to grant his people the powers they now share, before he found his orb, and mastered the stars themselves. An abominable failure that he could never allow to see the light of day. There are legends that say that Nar-Von defeated and imprisoned a herald of the devourer of worlds here, in an effort to keep it from guiding its master to Harridan. Some people believe that Nar-Von himself is that which slumbers here. Of course, there are those that say each story is true, all at once, or that none of them are true". The flame flickered in his hand. They came to a stairwell, with some going up, and the others down. He glanced briefly at her. After a moment of brief hesitation, she began to take the upward path, Loki following after her.
–AoS–
"These scriptures are fascinating" Gwen whispered, holding her flashlight up to the wall. Absentmindedly, Nate nodded. The ever present cold clung to him like an old friend embracing him after years apart. The dread that had settled in the back of his mind when they entered the palace had still not abandoned him, growing more insistent with every step. "So what do you think they say?" she asked suddenly. He glanced up, startled. Smiling sheepishly, he politely asked her what she meant. Taking his hand, Gwen fondly rolled her eyes, tugging him over to the wall. "These". She gestured to the images and glyphs lining the walls. "What do you think the story is about?"
"Story?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, these are like Egyptian Hieroglyphs, right? And they don't seem like they're just here for information, so it has to be a story. So, what do you think it's about?"
He thought about what she'd said. Realised she was most likely right. The dread grew again.
"I don't know. Nothing good".
"Ooh, a scary story? We are getting up to halloween soon". Nate nodded again.
"Come on," he urged. "Let's keep moving". She smiled, pulling him along the hall, still occasionally glancing at the pictographs he pointedly tried to ignore.
They stopped almost ten minutes later, peering first downstairs than up. After a moment, Gwen tugged on his arm, descending the stairs one at a time. Down it is.
–AoS–
At last, they came out of the oppressive darkness of the palace, finding themselves stood on a great walkway leading into the larger city. Loki took a breath he had not been aware of holding. Beside him, Frigga raised her hands, waving her arms in an intricate pattern. Silver and crimson runes appeared in the air in front of them, zooming off into the city. His mother nodded, sagging in relief. "The stone is here," she told him. "I believe if we hurry, we may be able to reach it before it disappears again". Loki inclined his head.
"Could you remove your spell? Ensure it does not leave this place". She paused thoughtfully.
"I could," she eventually stated agreeably. "But I do not think I should. Malekith will be behind us as we speak. It would be unwise to give him any advantages, should we fail. He mastered that stone long ago, before our first war with his people. If there is anyone with the knowledge and insane will to seek the stone, even here in this terrible place, it would be him. No, I shall not break my spell until Malekith is dealt with, and then the Reality stone can rest safely in the vaults, where none will know it lies". He nodded briefly, and together, they made their way into the city. I shall know, mother.
–AoS–
They came at last to a cavernous central chamber. It seemed to Nate as though the stone had all been carved in place, perfectly aligned as it was. Nowhere was there a single crack or seam. Taking pride of place in the centre of the room was a great statue, the only colour anywhere in the entire palace, it seemed. Nearly as tall as the ceiling, and made from a metal that Nate could not identify, the figure was truly imposing. The imposing man stood proud, in a blue, red, and gold skinsuit similar to his own, with a rippling red cape that fell to the bottom of the figure's red boots, the tops of those were lined with gold. The man's arms were opened in front of him. In one hand, sheltered in his palm were a group of humanoid figures, gazing lovingly up at the figure. In the other he held a strange orb, from which the designers of the statue had seemed to wish to capture the essence of light emanating, like a bright purple sun. The crest on the man's chest was a painfully familiar S set in a diamond, though the S itself, as well as the outer edges of the diamond were the same gold as the figure's belt and which had been wrapped around his arms in several places. A second thin line of gold ran around the S on the chest, segmented from the outer line of the diamond by the same red that made up the inner diamond. A red skirt-like piece of clothing hung off the belt, covering the sides and back of the man's upper legs. Unlike Nate's own suit, which ended at the bottom of the neck, this one continued on into a high collar, with gold trim. A pair of round gold buttons served to clasp the cloak to the figure's shoulders. Gwen approached the statue slowly, staring at his green eyes and dark brown hair.
"Nar-Von?" she asked. Nate nodded.
"Probably". He walked around the entire statue, taking it in from every angle, before flying up to get a closer look at the other man's face, as well as the orb in his hand. The details were incredible. If not for the size, Nate could almost believe it was a real breathing man standing before them. He dropped to the ground beside her.
She gestured to the orb in his left hand. "What's that about, do you think?" Nate shrugged.
"I have no idea. There was nothing in Fara'Dein's records on the ship about it. It had to have been significant though. Someone went to a great deal of trouble to craft this statue to the guy's likeness".
"So you think maybe the Harridanites today don't know either?"
More like they want it kept secret".
Gwen nodded, tilting her head to one side.
"He kind of looks a little like you, actually". Nate shook his head.
"No, he doesn't. You just think that because of the S on his chest".
Gwen shrugged. "Well, maybe, but I don't know. There's something in his eyes though. He looks tired. Hopeful, maybe? But he looks tired too". Nate nodded distractedly.
"Come on. We came this far, let's get going".
–AoS–
They had arrived. Loki could feel it. Power throbbed all around them. He could almost taste it in the air. Having once held the Tesseract, if only briefly, itself an infinity stone, Loki could never forget that power. The reality stone was here. If his mother felt the same power, she showed no sign, simply casting a spell to open a hole in the cavern wall. Together, they stepped further into the cave, each casting their gaze out around them in each direction. Confirming they were alone, Frigga strode over to the pulsating ruby stone. Carefully bending her knees, the Asgardian queen conjured a small box of metal and wood. Taking the stone from where it floated in mid air, she placed it safely in the container, shutting it tightly. Having stood rigid the entire time, Loki felt himself relax only once the Stone was out of sight.
He could still fill the power of the stone, as though it were calling to him. Soothingly whispering sweet nothings into his ear. It spoke of freedom, of Odin and Thor knelt at his feet. The throne that was his by birthright, and which had been so cruelly ripped away. All of it could be his. The power - the very thought - was intoxicating. He could see it in his mind's eye. He, Loki. no longer the second son, cast out and forgotten. No longer god of mischief and lies. Loki the Allfather, god of reality. All he had to do was reach out, and take it. All he had to do was betray his mother. He turned away from her, face twisted in a vile grimace. The words were on his tongue. He knew he could convince her, get her to hand it over. And then he would leave her. Abandon her to deal with whatever monster or demon had been buried beneath their feet. He could do it. He would do it, he decided in that moment. But first, he needed her to lower the barriers. If he did it himself, if Heimdall turned his eyes here and saw Loki without the queen, all Asgard would move against him. It would be just and fitting punishment for her trying to make him recognise her husband. He turned back to her, plastered a smile on his face.
"Shall we go?" she smiled back, taking him by the arm.
"We Shall".
–AoS–
They stood at the summit of the broken tower in the heart of the ancient city. His mother claimed the barrier had been forged here, so only here could she call on the magic to sever it. Once done, they would be visible to Heimdall. The gatekeeper would open the bifrost. All would be well. "We shall be free to go home," she told him as she began her work. Loki nodded, snorting derisively as he conjured a small dagger behind his back, eyes hungrily falling on the box by her side. He would not kill her, merely wound her long enough for him to make his escape whilst the Asgardians tended to their queen. It will not begin to pay back the pains they have inflicted upon me.
"Yes," he told her sardonically, "free to return to my cosy little cell". Frigga hummed softly.
–AoS–
After a short journey, they came to another set of double doors, these with a central crimson node. Cautiously, Nate reached his hand out, brushing it against the small diamond jutting out of the centre. With a deep breath, he pushed it in. a strange red ball of light shot out of the doors. It shifted into the form of a humanoid figure. Regarding them both silently, the holographic figure flickered several times before speaking in an alien language.
"My guess is that it's some sort of security system for the door," Nate said, thinking aloud. The figure tilted in mid air, staring at him. Its eyes flashed a sickly yellow colour for several minutes.
"Language detected and Assimilated. Earth; human: English. Your assertion is correct, abomination. I am Vigil, primary responsibility; to guard the doors to this cell. Time since task set: 10,000,000 Terran years. Time until Task deemed complete: unknown.
"What happened to this planet?" Gwen glanced at him, nodding to show she agreed with his first question.
"Inquiry has no meaning in this context. Please clarify; This planet maintains its stated purpose".
"Why does the planet have no sun? And how does it exist without one?" Gwen demanded.
"This line of inquiry is irrelevant. Solar degradation occurred after commencement of priority task. As such, this unit is unaware of the correct responses to your inquiries."
"You mentioned you have to guard these doors. Why is that?"
"This unit is not permitted to give response at the current time. This unit's primary task was assigned by Nar-Von. Only Nar-Von may request such information".
"And if Nar-Von were dead?"
"If Nar-Von were deceased or incapacitated, then responsibility over primary directive then falls to his surviving heirs".
Nate hesitated, before making a decision. "I wear his symbol - could I take responsibility in his place?"
The palace was silent as a tomb for several moments. Nate felt as though a great invisible weight were bearing down upon him.
"Affirmative".
"Then I wish to do that".
"Affirmative". It fell silent once more for several moments before the AI spoke once more. Primary Task; Ensure Doors remain sealed. Ensure long term containment of Kha'Bhaleon".
"Who is Kha'Bhaleon?"
"Inquiry is not comprehended".
–AoS–
They stood there for almost fifteen minutes whilst his mother worked. Loki remained stock still as he watched the now shimmering barrier, waiting for his moment. The collapse of the barrier was accelerating by now. Within seconds, it would collapse. Loki felt himself smirking. He could taste his imminent freedom. The power of the stone sat on the stone plinth loomed large in his mind now. The Barrier stopped shimmering, returning to its inert state. Loki blinked. Frowned. Had she guessed his plans? He tilted his head down, glancing warily at the Asgardian queen.
"Not to your cell".
"What?"
"You heard what I said. I will not allow Odin to throw you back in that cell. You shall have a probation of course," Loki smirked. Naturally. "No magic. At least not for a little while. Until we know you learnt your lesson. Of course she would think of this. Freedom of a sort, yet still in prison. Without magic, he was nothing. She knew that. "But you are not just some criminal. You are my Son. Thor's brother. Odin's son". She stepped forward, embracing him. For a moment, just a moment, he allowed himself to be her son. He buried his head in her hair, as he had when he'd been young. "Loki," Frigga - his mother - whispered soothingly "you will always be the god of mischief. Yet you are more than that. You are a brother, a son. A prince of Asgard and a sorcerer. Yet, if you wanted to be, you could be more than even that". Your fate is not preordained. Your destiny is your own, my son. Not mine, nor your father's. It belongs to you and you alone. Only you can walk the path". He nodded.
He waved his own hand, completing the spell, and entwining his own emerald glyphs with her silver. "Let's go home".
–AoS–
The scrying spell had worked. As promised, the arcane barriers keeping her from finding the queen broke down, and Amora called upon dark magic to drag the three of them to her location. The journey through the black bifrost was over in moments. Once it was done, Malekith found himself stood on the summit of a tall tower, the queen and her adopted welp embracing as they arrived. Beside him, Amora smirked. "Well," the enchantress began, chuckling. "Isn't that just precious?" Loki and Frigga pulled apart as though stung, both turning to stare at Malekith and his companions.
–AoS–
"Warning: Planetary Barriers comprimised. Viability of primary task threatened".
"Why?! Why do you need the barrier? Why protect the door?"
"To ensure containment of Kha'Bhaleon continues. Planetary barrier failure means only this door remains to secure against eventuality of release". Nate felt like banging his head against the nearby wall.
"And what happens when Kha'Bhaleon is released?" Gwen spoke up.
"Rhanda Daedra".
"And what is that?"
"Undefined. A fear of the mortals that programmed this unit. Term is without meaning or context to this unit". The palace walls trembled around them. Heat seemed to emanate from beneath Vigil's door, heating the entire hall and driving the cold from Nate's bones. A deep rumble could be heard all around them. For a brief moment, Nate felt horrifically as though it might have been laughter. With a final shuddering breath, he asked again.
"And Kha'Bhaleon itself? What is this unit's context for that phrase?"
"Meaning in your language; unknown. In all known languages, there is only one defined context; Kha'Bhaleon is power. And the orb is Kha'Bhaleon."
A/N: The second of a three part series detailing the events of Thor The Dark World in the AOSverse is now finished. Next chapter we will bring this story arc to a close. If you guys like, I have a version of this chapter with a slightly different ending that drastically changes the chapter I could post as an AU / What If? Scenario one-shot.
If anyone wants to read that, let me know by either review or PM