Somewhere Along the Way...To Asgard

Light It Up...

Hades landed with a thud and I quickly dismounted. Trying desperately to see in the night. Hades seemed on edge. His body was tense and his ears flickering, constantly on alert.

"Stay here boy. Please." I pleaded.

I made my way through the darkness, squinting to try and see in front of me, almost tripping as my dress caught on thorny branches. I pulled Loki's dagger from my thigh and tore it through the dress. I would rather my legs cut as fighting with this damn thing.

"LOKI?!" I called out into the storm.

Nothing.

"LOKI CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

I heard rustling around me, like something was stalking towards me. Thats when I realised I had no idea where I was or who inhabited these parts.

I heard a blood curdling snarl from behind me. Before I could react the thundering of hooves filled the air, Hades attacked whatever was coming for me. There was commotion for a moment and I froze in terror.

Then it grew eerily silent and I could only hear Hades ragged breathing. My heart began hammering in my chest as I threw up my flames, carefully making my way towards him.

"You ok boy?" I asked, dropping my flames as I got to his side, carefully placing my hand on his neck. He snorted. Pawing at the ground in front of us.

I bent down to find some kind of mountain lion type animal, lying on the grass, lifeless. Blood staining its mouth and chest. My heart stopped.

"No..." I felt fear flood my system and my flames flared quickly, spreading over my whole body.

"LOKI!" I screamed, "LOKI PLEASE! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Hades spun on his hind legs, covering me with one of his wings as something else approached us.

"Little One?"

It was Thor.

"It's ok Hades, it's Thor. Back down boy."

Thor wearily approached me, looking at my body engulfed in an inferno of flames, then the creature at Hades feet. "Where is Brother? Father sent me to help you look for him. Is he in danger?"

"I dont know!" I sobbed, "I cant reach him! Hades, he brought me here, he killed whatever that thing is before it could attack me. What if it got to him?"

Thor took a step towards me to comfort me, but my flames only grew as my body went into overdrive.

"Little One calm down, can Hades take us to him?" He looked at the black stallion beside me.

"H...he left me here. He must be around here somewhere." I looked around me but I couldn't see much.

Then I had an idea, turning to Thor.

"Light it up..."I breathed to him.

"What?" He seemed confused.

"Lightning Thor. Light up the sky!"

I moved back from him scanning my eyes around wherever we where. Soon a clap of thunder sounded above us, and a blue flash filled the sky.

Nothing.

"Again." I barked at Thor.

Moving forwards as quickly as I could across the terrain trying my best to find him.

Another rumble of thunder sounded above us followed by the lightning.

That's when I spotted him. Lying among the rugged terrain and thorny branches. I ran to him, falling on the ground beside his body, pulling him to my chest.

"Please! Loki! No! Please...you cant be...." I couldn't see through my tears as they fell.
"Loki. You have to be ok." I bent down, pressing my lips against his. They were colder than usual, his hair sticking to his face drenched with the rain.

Thor's footsteps sounded behind me as he trudged across the wet earth. "Little One? Is it him?"

As he approached he seen me cradling Loki to my chest crying into his wet hair.

I placed my hands on his body, praying to anyone who would listen to me, to heal him.

"Come on... please..." I turned my face up towards the sky, squeezing my eyes tight. "Help me heal him." I begged, to who. I had no idea. I just hoped someone would heart pleas for help.

He was still breathing, barely. A glow from my hands soaked into his skin, I had no idea the extent of his wounds but I could only hope I could help him. Just enough to get him back to the palace.

"Brother! No!" Thor dropped beside me, watching as I scrunched my face, I was in unbearable pain, as my powers flooded from my body into him draining me.

Suddenly he shot upright, gasping air into his lungs. He blinked looking around, spying Thor before turning to me.

"My Love...." His voice was weak.

Thor lifted him, "I will take him back. Meet me at the healers Little One."

I nodded, refusing to tell them just how weak I was. I could do nothing but watch as Thor took off into the sky with Loki tight to his body.

Hades came over to me and nuzzled me, almost as if he was pleading with me to get up.

"Hey boy. I...I just need a little minute." I was struggling for air, gripping my torso in pain.

Hades lay down beside me with a grunt, as close as he could get, nuzzling at me trying to push me towards his back.

I mustered up as much strength as I could screaming out in pain as I hauled myself onto his back, collapsing against him. Slowly he stood up off the ground and I gripped onto his mane as best I could, bracing myself to take to the sky.

It wasn't long before I seen the lights of the Palace as we approached, Hades swooped into the healers refuge, landing outside the doors.

He neighed loudly, repeatedly, trying to get someone's attention from inside.

I could feel myself slipping out of consciousness and with a thud my body hit the ground. Hades kicked the door with his hind legs in an effort to get someone's attention. His last neigh pierced the quiet night, causing the doors to burst open.

Tyra screamed at the sight of me lying on the ground, my blood seeping into the rain water. I lay helpless in a puddle of blood.

Thor heard the screams from where Loki was lying, making his way out to investigate. His breath caught in his chest.

"Prince Thor, please, I...I need you to lift her" Tyra pleaded to him.

Gently he bent down lifting my limp body.

As he rushed to the Soul Forge with me, he knew he had to get Father, that creature was not of Asgard. Which meant one thing. They where here, or close.

And they were dangerous.