Fix You (Loki Romance)

Chapter 44

Thanos paused, seeing me. "The Cell. Where is it?"

"I don't know." I shook my head. They would have given it to Luk as soon as they arrived. "Your boyfriend has it."

He ground his teeth, his grip tightening on the sword. The shadows holding Odin shifted nervously. "So Luk fights with you. It isn't enough he supplied you with his silver."

"At least he saw you for what you really are." I edged closer, hoping I could get him away from Odin. "A coward. A monster."

"I am doing what needs to be done! These people are too stubborn. They would never submit to a leader they didn't know! They have to be eliminated. Without order in my ranks, there can be no victory. We'll die when it comes, don't you understand?"

He snatched the sword back, advancing slowly on me. "You Asgardians are so narrow-minded. You think there's nothing but your Yggdrasil. You think it can never fall. But the Vanir have seen it! There is destruction coming and you'll do nothing but stand in its wake if someone doesn't wake you up! I've come as a leader, as a savior! And all you want to paint me as the devil."

"Then lead us!" I shouted. "Lead us to survival but you don't have to kill us off just to ensure the survival of those weak enough to submit to you."

"I require submission!" He roared. "Resistance will be met with death, disobedience with punishment! If you will not follow me, if you are not with me-"

I raised my hands, sliding into the ready position. "You're damn right I'm against you."

All fifteen pounds of steel came bearing down on me as Thanos brought his broadsword up to cut me at the neck. I ducked low, sliding forward on my knees. I leapt up and started to sweep under his reach when a sound stopped me.

A blood-curdling scream rose above the chaos in the city. Like a creature dying in anguish, it rushed into the air and echoed towards us.

Thanos grinned. "Baldr breathes his last. And with him, Asgard will fall. At the hands of your saved Prince, no less."

"Loki?" I straightened slowly, wary of another attack.

"It sounds to me like your dear husband has just realized what he's done." A shadow moved forward, speaking in guttural tones to Thanos. The Titan grinned. "He certainly doesn't disappoint. He even found the Cell for me. Such a loyal slave he makes." He stepped forward and, like Luk, disappeared. The shadows dispersed immediately.

"Mom!" Kenna shouted, running into the room. "Daddy got out, he's in the city!" She grabbed my hand. The ground seemed to drop from below me and seconds later I found myself in the middle of the silent city. Bodies littered the streets and blood pooled between the cobblestones. The day had grown dim very suddenly and the air seemed perfectly still, as if the universe was waiting with bated breath.

Loki was crouched over Baldr, his eyes clear of Thanos' control and full of horror. He stared at the streak of Baldr's blood that lay on his fingers. He looked around at every panicked and terrified stare of those left in the street.

The sun's light seemed to die even while it was at its peak and the ground trembled in distress. At the same moment, we all knew what Thanos' control had wrought.

Ragnarok.