To Roam Into the Unknown

Loki fell to his knees in the corner of the dungeon as a terrible pain shot through his head. He was bound by thick shackles around his wrists which were anchored to the wall.

"Please stop! I'm sorry for all that I've done-all the wrong that I've done!" He cried. He sobbed through his trembling fingers. The bodies of the dead continued to encroach. Men women and children. Some from Midgard, some Asgardian. All had died by his hands. And with each one that touched him, their painful and traffic deaths were transmitted to him. His skin tore and bled where their skin had torn and bled. Their pain was his pain.

He had backed himself into the corner in an attempt to get away. But now, with nowhere to go, he screamed and begged them for mercy-though he knew he had no right. He choked on his own terror as he found himself in New York city again, holding the body of a child to his chest, people scattered around him. He screamed in agony, feeling the pain of the loss of this child. He buried his face in its hair and sobbed. Then he was back in the dungeon.

Before he could catch his breath, he felt hands on him again and with them, searing pain that radiated through his body. He saw Aurora laying on the table if the doctor's office, one arm folded under her head as she watched the monitor of the ultrasound. He saw himself entangled with Amora's body on the floor by the fireplace. He felt his chest constrict and his breath caught in his throat. This was Aurora seeing his infidelity. This was her heart that was breaking.

Loki ran his hands through his hair and sobbed openly for her. "Forgive me....Aurora please...!" His body felt worse than it had after his beating by the green beast and he wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Sinking to his knees and wracked with remorse, he was barely able to register the gentle hands that stroked his hair, attempting to soothe him. He glanced up and was met with a pair of sparkling blue eyes. He jerked back, pressing his back against the cold stone wall.

Aurora knelt before him, clad in a light blue gown. Her golden hair cascaded over her bare shoulders in waves. He could just make out the bump of her belly.

"Loki..." She whispered, eyes twinkling. "What have they done to you?"

His face scrunched up in pain and he sobbed. "Oh my love...I've failed you..."

She reached out as if to touch him, her hands hovering just over his face and she smiled softly at him. "No Loki...no. But you must be strong for us."

He leaned into her touch and nearly fell through it. "Why are you here..?" He asked, looking up at her.

She shook her head. "I don't know...I had to see you. I want you to come home." Her eyes glistened with tears.

"I will. I promise." He said.

"I love you Mr. Green." She whispered.

Loki wanted to smile but it wouldn't come. "Gods I love you..." He said, reaching out for her. Before he could touch her, she vanished. Anger welled up inside of him and he pushed himself to his feet. The apparitions had vanished. He was entirely and utterly alone. He began to pace as far as the chains would allow, willing his mind to be free of all thoughts. There had to be a way out of the dungeon.

He turned, walking around the perimeter of the dungeon, starting at the large spike that secured the chains to the floor. Tugging on the chains, he noticed the spike moved. Dropping to his knees, he began to wiggle the spike back and forth, pulling until it came free. As he suspected, it was sharp. Wasting no time, he plunged the spike into his hand and immediately set to painting runes at the entrance. When he was finished, he wiped his bloodied hand on his tunic and shoved the spike back into the ground.

OoOoOo

Aurora slipped out of her room, wrapping her silk robes tightly around her. She peered down the hallway, making sure no one was around. Confident that the coast was clear, she made her way as quietly as possible down the stairs.

It was very late and the only people that were about were the guards. Silver moonlight flooded through the high windows, giving her dark shadows to hide in.  Pulling the hid over her head and holding it up to her face, she slipped out of the main entrance of the palace and immediately sprinted to a run. She clutched the cloth at her neck with one hand and called her swollen belly with the other as the rainbow bridge came into view. The large golden observatory shone brightly. Once her feet hit the bridge, she showed her pace, trying to catch her breath and steady he nerves.

She stopped just outside the entrance of the Bifrost, swallowing hard. The guard stood in his golden armor with his back to her, so still and unmoving that he could have passed as a statue. Suddenly she was unsure of what to say.

"It is rude to sneak up on someone." He said. His voice was soft, but firm but it took Aurora by surprise and she jumped.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sneak." She stammered.

"You may enter." He replied.

And she did albeit cautiously, lifting her night gown and robe a she ascended the stairs into the large sphere. She walked until she stood directly in front of him.

"What can I do for you, Aurora Moreau?" He asked.

She licked her suddenly dry lips. "Mr. Heimdall, can you see him?" She asked, her voice hoarse. "Loki, I mean."

"He lives." He answered, glancing down at her.

Aurora let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in a whoosh. "Will you send me to him?" She asked.

Heimdall stated down her, his golden eyes fixed as if he were seeing through her. "I cannot."

"But Jane...She told me that you could..."

"I cannot send you to Hel because if I do, you would not survive. And if you do survive, you will be unable to return to Asgard."

"Please! I have to see him! I can't accept anyone's words. I have to see him for myself." She begged, clutching her hands to get chest.

"Perhaps I can help."

Aurora spun around. Frigga stood in the entry way of the Bifrost. "Thank you Heimdall." She said.

The golden soldier nodded his head slightly and returned his gaze to the cosmos.

"Your highness...What do you mean?" Aurora asked. Frigga wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her away from the Bifrost.

"I can help you too see him." Frigga replied.

"How?" Aurora felt a spark of hope in her chest.

"Where do you think Loki learned his magic? He is not the only sorcerer in Asgard." The queen said. She lead Aurora down a path different from the one she'd taken previously. They soon entered at the back of the gardens. Frigga pressed her hand to a large iron door that creaked open. Pushing through it, Aurora was lead into a stairwell that ascended up to the back of the palace and into a small observatory tower.

There was one large window and the balcony. In the middle of the room sat a circular stone fire pit. She pulled a small vial of of a nearby shelf and poured it's contents into the pit. Instantly, flames sparked to life.

"I will help you see him, but it must be quick. The energy it requires to do this is great, and I do not wish to risk your health further. But I know the calls of the heart must be answered else they overpower the calls of the brain. Stand right here." Frigga pulled Aurora up to the pit, standing her just before it. "Give me your hand."

Aurora held out her hand. Frigga pulled a pin out of her hair and jabbed her middle finger, taking Aurora by surprise. She yelped and looked up a the Queen questioningly.

"We must have something of his in order to see him. His blood runs through your veins now. Stare at the flames and think only of him." She held Aurora's hand over the flames and squeezed hard. As the droplets fell, the flames sparked and began to turn a light green. She stared into them, transfixed, thinking only of seeing his face.

Her surroundings quickly faded and she found herself standing in a dark murky room. The sounds of sobbing caught her attention and she turned, squinting as she tried to focus in the dark. She could just make out a shadow standing in the corner.

"Forgive me....Aurora please...!" He slid to his knees, sobbing.

Aurora walked over to him and stroked his head gently. He turned and looked as if he'd seen a ghost, throwing himself back against the wall. He seemed to be hallucinating

She knelt down in front of him, trying to hold back the horror she felt at his appearance. His face was bloodied and bruised, dark circles were under his bloodshot eyes. His clothes were stained with a mixture of sweat, dirt, and blood.

"Loki...What have they done to you?" She whispered, blinking away tears.

He stared at her for a moment and then his face contorted into pain and sadness. "Oh my love...I've failed you..." He sobbed.

Aurora felt her heart skip and she reached out to touch him, forcing a smile. "No Loki...no. But you must be strong for us."

Loki moved forward into her touch and staggered through her hand. She could no longer feel him. "Why are you here..?" He asked.

Aurora shook her head. "I don't know...I had to see you. I want you to come home." She squeaked. Tears filled her eyes.

He nodded. "I will. I promise." He whispered.

Aurora leaned in close, never leaving his gaze. "I love you, Mr. Green."

His mouth twitched and he reached out for her. "Gods I love you..."

It was the last thing she heard before she was brought back to the tower. Tears steamed streamed down her cheeks and she opened her eyes. "We have to find him!" She cried, grabbing Frigga's arms.

"Sweetheart, we cannot." She said.

Aurora shook her head, hysteria nearing. "No you can! I know you can! He needs me!" Aurora sobbed.

"Aurora, this is Loki's fight, and his alone. He will return, I have faith." Frigga replied, brushing her hair back soothingly.

Aurora opened her mouth to argue, but was suddenly too exhausted. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and blackness set in.

OoOoOo

"Hel, you miserable wench! Where are you?" Loki shouted. He'd grown tired of waiting.

The locks clicked and the door creaked open. Hel entered the room, staff in hand and wolf at her side. "Loki." She inclined her head slightly.

"Tell me where is Þjazi?" He asked.

She smiled. "Where he always is. In the tree by the river."

"What do you mean?"

"He died in the form of a Bird, hence his soul was contained in the form." She said. "Now, what else can I do for you?"

Loki smirked. "You've already done it."

Hel's smile faded as his shackles clattered to the floor. She moved to attack but was frozen in place. "What have you done?!" She shrieked.

He held up his bloodied hand. And pointed to the floor. "A little trick I picked up in Vanaheim a few years ago."

"You tricky bastard!" She screamed, raising her staff.

"I'll take that." Loki said, holding his hand out. The staff disappeared from her hands, reappearing in his.

Hel let out an angry cry and the wolf snarled. Loki took the sharp edge of the staff and plunged it into the wolf's chest. Hel screamed, shooting a blast of energy at him. It never passed the bloody rune he'd painted on the floor. He reached down as he passed her and ripped the collar from the dying wolf's neck.

Hel sunk to floor, cradling the wolf in her arms. "Damn you Loki Laufeyson! I am the last person you want as an enemy!" She screamed as he slammed the dungeon door and locked it.