To Roam Into the Unknown

Loki woke with a start at the sound of a massive explosion. The ground shook violently and he could feel debris showering him. He shielded his eyes, trying desperately to see where he was. All around him was pandemonium. People were screaming and running for their lives.and more explosions. He staggered to his feet and could feel warm blood dripping down the side of his head. He looked around, finding he was in an alley way between two task buildings.

Crawling over the fallen chunks of debris, his foot caught a jagged piece and he stumbled, rolling out onto the street. He took in a breath, trying to focus. Something wizzed past his head and he looked up in time to see a hovercraft speed past. It was then he realized with disbelief that he was in New York City. He ducked as another hovercraft aimed directly at him and fired.

Scrambling to his feet once more, he rushed into a nearby building. He closed his eyes and concentrated on summoning his armor, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes and looked down. He was still wearing...a light blue dress shirt and dirt smeared khakis. A golden ring was on the ring finger of his left hand. He ran further into the building and into its bathroom.

The lights flickered on and off with each quake of the explosions. He gripped the sink and stared in confused disbelief at the face staring back at him. His eyes were blue and his normally ebony hair was auburn. His face was clean shaven and his skin was slightly tanned. He felt like himself, but the face staring back at him was that of a stranger.

Loki hurried out of the bathroom and back into the chaotic street side, looking around him. He'd no idea what to do, but as his eyes scanned his treacherous surroundings, he felt a tug in his gut telling him to run north. Without a second thought, his feet were taking him in the direction of Stark tower. All around him people were screaming and crying, and he could feel their panic, his own rising in his chest.

There was the loud roast of a jet and Loki looked up just as Iron Man flew past. He watched as he disappeared around the corner of a building. He gave a violent start as the road behind him erupted in a mass of fire and vehicles. He pushed himself to run faster as the cars and trucks rushed him like a wave. As he rounded a corner, he nearly tripped over a sobbing child. The child's mother lie dead at his feet.

Chunks of brick began to fall around them and without missing a beat, he scooped the child into his arms and ducked into a nearby diner. A group of people huddled behind the bar signaled for him to join them. He knelt behind the counter, gasping for breath, the child clung to him sobbing. His hair was platinum and he couldn't have been a day older than two. Loki felt a tug at his heartstrings as he cradled the child. "It's going to be alright..." He whispered into his soft hair.

"Why is this happening?" A woman sobbed.

"Does anyone know anything?" A man asked.

Loki closed his eyes. "It's an invasion." He whispered.

"And invasion? By who?"

"Not who. What. Did you see those things? They're like aliens or something!" An officer replied.

"What do we do??" Someone asked.

"We can't run, it's safer here. Too many of us are injured to risk it." A waitress said.

Loki squeezed his eyes shut as all of their fear and pain threatened to envelop them. He could hear his pulse throbbing in his ears. "I will go get help."

"Who is going to help against those things? All the phones are dead. For all we know, the army has been destroyed."

"No. I saw them. There is help. Iron Man...Thor. They're here, fighting for us." Loki said. He attempted to hand the child over to the waitress, but he immediately began howling, clinging to Loki. Loki shook his head discreetly, giving signal to the waitress to back down.

He got to his feet and carefully made his way to the window, covering the child's eyes with his free hand. Once he was confident the coast was clear, he stepped outside. He had barely made it across the street before something whizzed by. He was thrown forward by the blast that erupted from the diner he had just exited, and landed with a thud against a mailbox. The little boy lay not the feet from him, wailing loudly. Loki shook his head, trying to clear the disorientation. When he opened his eyes, to his horror, a chitauri warrior was charging at the boy.

"NNNOOOOO!" He screamed. He felt like he was moving through molasses as he threw himself between the child and the monster. He felt the beast's blade pierce his chest. Pain like the hottest of Muspelheim's fires seemed to coarse through his body. He could feel warm blood flowing from the wound as he fell to his knees. The boy's tear streaked face was the last thing he saw before succumbing to darkness.

OoOoOo

Aurora jumped up with a shriek, clutching at her stomach. Frigga stood quickly, her needlework falling to the floor in a heap. They had been lounging on the balcony of the sun room, enjoying each other's company and sharing stories of their very different lives.

"Aurora? What is it?" She asked, placing a hand on either side of her arms.

A thin sheen of sweat covered her brow. "I...don't know what that was...but it hurt." Aurora said.

"I'll send for Æsa." Frigga said, snapping her fingers and pointing at the exit of the room.

Aurora gagged and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the bile riding in her throat. Frigga ushered her to the inside of the room and with a smooth wave of her hand, a bed appeared. She helped Aurora ease back just as Æsa entered.

"My queen?" She said.

"Aurora seems to be having some pain." Frigga replied.

Æsa took a seat on the edge of the bed. "May I?"

Aurora nodded. The healer gently laid her hands on both sides of her stomach and closed her eyes. Aurora and Frigga both stared at Æsa expectantly, until Aurora forced her eyes to close.

"All seems well. The child is strong." Æsa replied.

"But that pain-"

"Is merely the body adjusting to the fetus. It's completely normal. But you should probably rest for the day." Æsa said.

"I will, thank you." Aurora Said.

"Thank you, Æsa. Come, I will see you out." Frigga said.

Aurora thought she'd seen some kind of unspoken realization pass between the Queen and the healer, but she was suddenly too tired to care so she rolled on to her side and let sleep take over.

OoOoOo

Loki opened his eyes, taking a moment to register his location. He sat in a room that was white from for to ceiling, save for a single mirrored door. He went to stand, but soon realized he was restrained to the chair. He looked down and found his dark blue shirt and jeans were covered in thick mud. He strained his neck, trying to look at himself in the mirror, but he was angled improperly.

"I thought he'd never leave."

Loki looked up and found himself starting at himself. "What are you doing here?" The voice that spoke was not his, but that of his brother. He felt suddenly very anxious as memories of this meeting replayed in his-Thor's brain.

Loki's face was serious as he spoke. "I had to see you."

Present day Loki felt his heart rate speed up with worry. "What has happened? Tell me! Is it Jotunheim? Let me explain to father-"

"Father is dead." Past Loki said, never batting an eyelash.

Present day Loki felt as though the air had left his lungs as he strove to make sense of what had just been said. "What?" He gasped.

"Your banishment, the threat of a new war, it was too much for him to bear."

As the knowledge sunk in, Loki felt nearly overcome with grief. The final words Thor had spoken in anger before he was cast out repeated in his head. The visible hurt on Odin's face. This all combined with Loki's own remorse at causing such pain for his brother. He could hear himself talking to Thor, but he was lost in thought. The emotions of two people inside one mind was giving him a vicious migraine.

Somehow, somewhere, he had crossed the line of wanting attention to pure loathing, and he hadn't cared one bit about the repercussions or pain it would cause. How had he allowed himself to become this way? People were adopted everyday, and when they found out, he seriously doubted they attempted murder and overthrew a government. What had he become?

"Can I come home?" He asked weakly.

"The truce with Jotunheim conditional upon your exile."

"But couldn't we find a way to-"

"Mother has forbidden your return." Past Loki said, cutting him off.

Loki looked down, feeling his brother's heart break and his own as well.

"I'm so sorry." Past Loki said.

He sighed and looked up. "No. I'm sorry. Loki...thank you for coming here."

"Farewell brother."

When he looked up again, agent Coulson was standing before him.

OoOoOo

Loki came to with a gasp as he was doused with ice cold water. He sat up on the cold, stone floor. He grasped his chest where the Chitauri warrior's blade had pierced him. It hurt as if the blade were still lodged there, but when he looked down, there was nothing but his armor.

"Good. You're awake." Hel squatted down before him, resting her arms on her knees. The wolf was beside her, starring at him hungrily.

"What is happening to me?" He asked.

"How do you feel?"

His mouth had a bitter taste and his head ached violently. "Like you poisoned me." He said.

Hel tilted her head slightly, examining him. "No. Not poison. It was a simple concoction of my creation. To help you see the error of your ways. You are experiencing from different aspects, the damage you caused, through the eyes of those whose lives you affected. You will feel their fear, and their pain. Your mind will be consumed with their voices and screams."

He coughed and raised a hand to wipe his face but found he was shackled. He looked up at her, eyebrows raised.

"A simple security measure."

"And how long am I to be your prisoner?" He asked. The pain in his head threatened to blind him. He squeezed his eyes shut as black spots began to obstruct his sight. His ears began to ring.

"Just until the effects wear off. Then you will be free to go..."

He lowered himself to the ground, pressing his face against the cold floor as the blackout threatened once more.

"...if you survive the night." Hel said with a smile. The wolf next to her growled, baring its fangs. The bright orange jewel imbedded in its collar caught Loki's attention, giving him a small beacon of hope before darkness claimed him once more.

OoOoOo

"How do you feel, my dear?" Odin asked.

Aurora sat up in the bed, smoothing her hair back. "I feel much better today, thank you."

He nodded and gestured to a nearby chair. "May I?"

She smiled. "It's your castle."

Odin gave a slight nod and sat down.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I've come with news of my son."

Aurora straightened up. "Loki?"

Odin nodded. "He and Thor have been in search of a cure for your ailment. Though it has taken them some time to do it, they were able to track down the woman who could help them."

"I'm sending a 'but' in you tone..." she said.

"But their search has lead them to Helheim."

Aurora stared at him, not understanding.

"Helheim is the realm of the dead."

Her eyes widened. "He isn't-"

"No no, of course not. But he is trapped there for the time being."

"What? Why?" She asked, becoming slightly worried. "How do you know this?"

"Heimdall has told me. Loki and Thor attempted to enter the gates of Hel but the guardian would only allow Loki to pass. And he did so alone. That was three days ago."

"Three days? But what is he doing there? Is he alright?" She asked.

"He is not dead, that is all I know." He looked at her with a weary eye.

"What about Thor? Is he alright?" She asked, thinking of Jane.

"He is. Impatiently waiting at the gates for his brother's return. Growing more impatient with every day that passes. He will not leave without Loki, dead or alive."

Aurora sat quietly for a moment, unsure of what to say. Her mind was running miles a minute. Loki was in trouble she just knew it, it wasn't like him to just disappear without a word. She finally swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Thank you...for telling me."

"It is the least I can do. I know you do not wish to be left in the dark."

Aurora nodded, fighting back tears.

Odin reached out and patted her hand. "Do not fret, my dear. Loki is a determined man with renewed purpose. And that is a very powerful thing.".