No More Tears

Destiny

She crept into the throne room, pressing herself flat against the wall as she waited for Loki to appear. Why was he taking so long? She waited as long as she could, her nerve almost deserting her as she shook in the shadows. Could she really do this? She wasn't even sure anymore. She'd never felt more alone.

She became aware she wasn't, in fact, alone when a soft laugh echoed across the vast room.

"You really think I don't know you're there? Come out, you're only embarrassing yourself." Hela's voice was calm and collected, and something else? As Susie walked forward, Dragon Fang drawn. Smug. That was it. Smug.

But what did she have to be smug about?

As Susie rounded the last pillar, she saw, in horrifying detail, exactly what was making her so smug.

Lying at the foot of the steps to the throne, a dead body lay in a pool of blood. Not just any dead body, this one was dressed in full Asgardian Battle armour, weapon drawn, still grasped in their cold, dead hand. A long black dagger plunged through it's chest. Hela's dagger. The corpse was staring at her, blood trickled from its mouth and its eyes, its beautiful eyes, glazed over with the touch of death. She knew they were beautiful because she knew who they belonged to.

Loki.

"Noooooooo!"  she raced over as if drawing nearer would make it clear it wasn't him.  That didn't happen.  The breath left her body and she felt herself sink to her knees.

Loki. Her Loki. Was dead. 

She reached out and stroked his hair feeling its silkiness as a contrast to the stark, raw misery now coursing through her. His forehead cold and mottled as his blue Jotun form emerged now the magic was ebbing away. She felt the tears run silently down her cheek as she reached down and closed his eyes.

"Aww never mind." Hela remarked "maybe you'll have better luck with Thor." She sniggered.

"Why?" she looked up at Hela, her mind screaming at her in pain "Why kill him?  We had a bargain..." 

"Oh my dear, you REALLY think I was going to leave him alive?  One of the few that could actually do anything against me? Although I must say,  his pathetic attempts to save YOU were entertaining." there was a pause and the realisation dawned on Susie.  Hela had never accepted the bargain, she was always going to kill them all.  Loki had sacrificed himself for her, tried to bargain just as she had.  If only she had killed her when she had the chance, none of this would have happened.

Hela laughed and nodded "I can see you understand now little one,  shame really, I would like to have gotten to know you better. We're the same really, you and I. Still, needs must. " she shrugged and walked down the steps nonchalantly.

"We are NOT the same.  We will NEVER be the same.  You are a MURDERER."

A surge of anger flowed through Susie like she'd never felt before. She had to kill her, save Asgard and avenge Loki.  She could do this, in that moment, she summoned every ounce of courage and strength she possessed.  With a howl, she rose to her feet, Dragon Fang raised and went for Hela.  

The Goddess of Death was as nimble as she was evil.  She jumped and twisted and fought, at one point managing to get Susie in her favourite chokehold against a pillar.  "Oh you really shouldn't have done that my dear. Now I'm going to have to abandon my plan for a merciful death.  You just don't deserve it any more." she looked at her for a moment as if she was sad, then laughed in her face. "Fenrir?  Come here boy?! " the wolf trotted down the steps from where he'd been sleeping beside the throne.

"He likes you!" Hela gloated with a sneer, "thinks you'll be a tasty snack. Especially when I make you just that bit more appealing."  She raised her hand, a green flash, then she plunged another long black dagger into Susie's chest, piercing the armour as if it were made of feathers.  Susie screamed, the pain shooting through her.  This wasn't how it was supposed to end. 

She obviously knew the blow itself hadn't killed her instantly but as she felt the river blood run down her body, she knew she would bleed out all too soon. She also knew Fenrir smelt the warm metallic river as she raised a scarlet, blood coated hand to her face in disbelief. His nose twitching and his salivating jaws opening wide in a deathly grimace. She tried to keep the panic out her mind, she had to force Hela into killing her outright.   

If she was going to die, she wanted a clean, warriors death, not torn to pieces by the now snarling slavering hell-hound at her side.  It's fetid breath hot and damp on her cheek.  "Too scared to kill me yourself eh? Got to get your Puppy to do it?" she taunted, her voice rising in fear.

"Why you little... NOOOOOOO!" Hela spun round as the wolf screamed in pain and fell at her feet, a long sword piercing it's heart.  As she looked down, distracted, Susie saw her last chance. With all the strength she possessed, she raised the Dragon Fang and plunged it into Hela, a shockwave throwing Susie clear and back onto the floor where she lay panting in a growing pool of blood. 

There was a god-awful scream, like someone tearing a hole in the universe and Hela fell to the floor, accompanied by her skeleton army.  A black swirling vortex opened and wraith like creatures grabbed her and dragged her in, still screaming. As she passed into Helheim for the final - and irreversable - time, so did they.  There was a clatter of armour and weapons on the marble floor then silence.

As Susie lay bleeding on the floor, she heard a voice.  Heimdahl.  It had been the Bifrost sword that had done the deed. "I see you Little Valkyrie, you are brave, you have done your duty.  Rest now. You - and we - are safe." He knelt by her side as he spoke, his large hand resting on her chest to calm her. Blood trickled from her mouth and she felt she was dying. She twisted her head and her eyes focussed on the prone form of Loki at the steps.  As she slipped into a warm and welcoming blackness, her last sight in Asgard was his beautiful face.

"Farewell my Prince, see you in Valhalla" she whispered, her lips crimson with blood, her eyes closing, wet with tears. "I love..."

The Gatekeeper gently scooped her up.  He shook his head.  She would not see her love in Valhalla, not yet.  For neither were headed there.  He turned and handed her to the figure at his side.

"She was brave.  Very brave.  It took love to make her so, there was no meaningless sacrifices here today.  Asgard will forever be in her - and your - debt. "

"Thank you Heimdal, when all this is over, we shall return.  You will need a King and Thor, thankfully, is uninjured. Thanks to these two." Stephen Strange turned and carried her away through a portal he had opened beside them.  "If there is anything you need in the meantime, you know where we are..."

Heimdal nodded and picked up the dagger at his feet.  It was one he recognised and it made him both sad and hopeful.  Maybe one day, and soon, the son of the woman who carried these would finally sit on the throne.  Frigga would have been proud of her sons - both of them. "Safe travels, we will see you soon."  Turning to the steps, he watched as Loki's image faded from sight. He too, gone from Asgard.

With that, the portal closed and Stephen carried Susie back into the campus.  As he appeared, the rest of the team crowded round, anxious for news.  Thor stood back and merely watched. Stephen looked over at him and nodded.  "It is done." was all he said.  Thor sat down heavily and rested his head on the end of Mjolnir as it sat on his knees.  Why did the throne always exact such a high price. Why must it always be bathed in blood.

Nat walked over to him, "you ok big guy?" she asked putting a hand on his arm.  "It's been quite a day all things considered." Thor nodded.  

"I'll be better if she wakes.  I have so much to tell her.  About Loki and his bravery..." he looked at her with tears in his eyes. "She will wake won't she? I can't lose my Little Sister too...." 

"Shhh, Bruce and Stephen will patch her up.  She's strong, she's a Valkyrie" Nat smiled gently and stroked Thor's hair as he wept.  "She won't leave you. I promise."

"I hope you're right" said a voice from behind them, turning they both looked and neither smiled.  They weren't altogether sure she was.